


Tempest

by MessyInsomniacBookGirl



Category: Actor RPF, British Actor RPF, Tom Hiddleston - Fandom, Tom Hiddleston Fandom
Genre: Building a world, Character Study, Drama, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Humor, NaNoWriMo, RPF, Relationship(s), Romance, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Smut, Swearing, so much swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-07
Updated: 2018-09-06
Packaged: 2019-03-15 02:05:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 38
Words: 123,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13603293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MessyInsomniacBookGirl/pseuds/MessyInsomniacBookGirl
Summary: When, on December 24th, her mother purchases a State Lottery Ticket for the New Years Eve draw and gifts it to her for Christmas, hoping it will bring her good luck in the New Year, Ariel laughs at her mother’s hopes and superstitions and kisses her on the cheek in thanks, not believing for a second that anyone ever wins the lottery. Especially not someone whose not so distant past has been riddled with pain and grief like hers has been.Little does she know that that small piece of paper will change the course of her entire life.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This story is my first foray into the world of FanFiction. It is also the first story I've ever published. Please be gentle with me. ;)
> 
> The story is not beta'd and has been only superficially edited after I wrote it down.
> 
> English is not my first language, so I apologise in advance for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes. I've done my best to weed them out, but I'm sure some of those nasty buggers have escaped my trimming shears. 
> 
> Sorry if some chapters are a bit long-winded. I like to be descriptive. ;)
> 
> I own nothing.
> 
> This is my sandbox. 
> 
> There will be swearing.
> 
> There will be smut in there... somewhere...
> 
> I'm building a world. So, it will be looooooooooong...
> 
> I'm still working on this, over 100000 words in.
> 
> You have been warned. 
> 
> Cheers! :D

**Prologue**

  

After being widowed almost two years ago, at the age of 34, when Brian, her husband of fifteen years, passed away only six months after being diagnosed with a very aggressive form of oesophageal cancer, she was left to raise their fifteen-year-old twin sons and eight-year-old daughter on her own. They were depending on her to keep her wits about her in a time of paralysing grief, followed by months of only just getting by, financially as well as emotionally. 

As an artist, and illustrator, she hadn’t been able to work in the months following the diagnosis and passing of her husband. It was as if the spark that brought forward the creativity from inside her, had been dimmed the moment Brian started dying. 

A sort of lethargic fog covered every part of her brain except for the functions needed to survive from day to day and to help her children cope with the loss of their father. 

Thankfully, they had some savings and except for the mortgage on their house, they weren’t in debt. Brian had had a good job at a marketing firm and all his medical bills were covered by their health insurance. 

It gave her a bit of respite in terms of finding new illustrating jobs and took the pressure off of having to create art to sell, while trying to find a new balance in her personal life and in the raising of a family as a single parent. 

Most days she felt like she was wading through a pea soup fog, though, feeling completely lost. 

It was almost ten months after the funeral, at the end of June 2014, that a flicker of her former self resurfaced when one of the writers she once illustrated a children’s book for, contacted her about a collaboration on creating a children's book about coping with the loss of a parent after a terminal illness. 

At first she’d thought being involved in a project that was so close to what she and her family had been through, would be too hard for her to handle, but money was getting very tight and she needed an influx of cash as well as a distraction, because even though her children had found their way through their grief and had settled into their changed lives, she was spiralling down. 

So, after much deliberation and talking it over with her mum, she decided to take the commission. 

As time went by, working on the book became a way to work through her grief. By setting herself deadlines and forcing herself to confront her own feelings of loss, the book became a way of healing and only four months after that first call from the writer, the final draft was submitted to the publisher.

The book was published at the end of November 2014 and became a modest success, giving her an equally modest income from royalties. Which was a welcome addition to the by now almost non existent savings.

Between September and November she had sold a couple of small paintings and made a few commissioned illustrations for magazines, but most of that money went to buying food and clothes for her three fast growing children.  

She hadn’t been able to make any mortgage payments since September of that year and if she didn’t make any more money soon, they’d lose the house.

No matter how far she stretched her budget, it was either feed her children, or pay the mortgage. The choice on that matter was easy. Getting to sleep at night wasn’t. 

Nearing the end of December she received the first payout from the book’s royalties. Though it wasn’t much, she was still able to use it partly for paying bills and partly for a few small Christmas presents for her children. 

After a couple of meetings with the bank that held her mortgage, she was able to avoid foreclosure on her house for one more month. Mostly through much begging on her part and the promise of a higher royalty payment in January, by the publishing house. 

Even though her financial situation was looking bleaker and bleaker with every passing day, she felt better than when she’d first started on the illustrations for the book, back in June. She once more enjoyed seeing her children play and grow and be excited for Christmas. Even the now sixteen-year-old boys couldn’t contain their enthusiasm, making her smile with their antics. 

Then, on December 24th, her mother purchased a State Lottery Ticket for the New Years Eve draw and gifted it to her for Christmas, hoping it would bring her good luck in 2015. She laughed at her mother’s hopes and superstitions and kissed her on the cheek in thanks. Not believing for a second that anyone ever won the lottery.  

Little did she know that that small piece of paper would change the course of her entire life.


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is my first foray into the world of FanFiction and the result of two years worth of NaNoWriMo. It is also the first story I've ever published. Please be gentle with me. ;)
> 
> It is not beta'd and has been only superficially edited. Most of the text is the same as it was when it was written down over the past two Novembers.
> 
> English is not my first language, so I apologise in advance for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes. I've done my best to weed them out, but I'm sure some of those nasty buggers have escaped my trimming shears. 
> 
> Sorry if some chapters are a bit long-winded. Gotta get to those 50000 words somehow, right? ;) 
> 
> I own nothing.
> 
> This is my sandbox. 
> 
> There will be swearing.
> 
> There will be smut in there... somewhere...
> 
> I'm building a world. So, it will be looooooooooong...
> 
> I'm still working on this, over 100000 words in.
> 
> You have been warned. 
> 
> Cheers! :D

**Chapter 1**

 

A new year, a new country, a new house, a new life… A fresh start. A clean slate, so to speak.

Emigrating to the UK, and London specifically, from The Netherlands was something she and her late husband had always dreamed of and talked about, but before those plans ever came to fruition, fate intervened and within months, their entire life was blown apart by a cancer diagnosis and soon after that the death of her husband by said illness. 

After a tumultuous twenty-five months with a lot of downs and only a handful of ups, life was finally quieting down. Going through with what once was a shared dream, but now only hers, and relocating what was left of their family to the UK, was a new start for all four of them.  

Ariel Dekker reached up and put the box she was carrying on a shelf that was located in the lower ground floor storage room of her new London house. Upstairs, she could hear the tumultuous thundering of footsteps, and then laughs and giggles of her three children as they chased each other through the house. Apparently, unpacking your stuff got old fast and raising hell was the only way to stave off boredom. 

Sighing, Ariel switched the storeroom lights off and shut the door. Walking through the adjoining basement bathroom she heard a cry and then a loud crash, followed by a banshee howling. Or at least it sounded like a banshee, or maybe a firetruck siren. Then she heard an answering low voice trying to shush the screeching bawl of her youngest.

Increasing the speed of her steps through the hallway and then taking the stairs two steps at a time, up to the raised ground floor, she made her way to the dining room at the back of the house where the ruckus seemed to be coming from.

Halting just outside the dining room doorway, she saw her ten-year-old daughter Avery sitting on the edge of the dining room table, scraped knees visible under her light blue, bunched up, capri shorts, remnants of fat tears trailing down her cheeks, being doted on by her two big brothers. Her cries having quieted down to shivering hiccups and dramatic sniffs through her nose.

Arthur, the eldest of the twins by seven minutes, was cleaning the scrapes with a wetted towel. His black curls falling over his lightly frowning brow while his dark brown eyes were focussed on the job at hand.

Cian, the younger of the seventeen-year-old twins, stood close by, long arms folded over his chest, a lollypop in his right hand. 

Bribe candy to placate his sister in place. Check.

‘Het doet zeer, Art, niet doen!’ (‘It hurts, Art, stop it!’) sniffed Avery in Dutch, followed by a small squeek; lower lip wobbling dangerously and eyes filling with tears again.

‘Ave, zit stil, anders kan ik het niet schoonmaken.’ (‘Ave, keep still, otherwise I can’t clean the scrapes.’) Arthur said.

Cian dragged a hand through his long, dark brown waves and held up the lollypop, ’Als je heel stil kan blijven zitten, dan krijg je deze lolly wanneer Art klaar is met schoonmaken.’ (‘If you keep really still, I’ll give you this lollypop after Art is finished cleaning the scrapes’) Trying to bribe his sister into staying quiet.

Avery was having none of it, though, and inhaled deeply before opening her mouth to start the banshee routine again.

Deciding to run an intervention before the situation escalated, Ariel entered the dining room and immediately after Avery spotted her mum, she visibly deflated, breath leaving her lungs in an audible whoosh, and the lip wobbling increased exponentially.

‘Mama, ik ben gevallen.’ (‘mummy, I fell down’) She said in a small voice, her light green eyes looking up at her mother. Did Ariel detect a bit of guilt in those eyes that looked so much like hers? 

Looking her daughter over she concluded that, apart from the scraped knees, everything was fine.  

‘What did I say about running around in your socks on these slippery wooden floors, Avery?’ Ariel asked.

‘Niet doen, want dan glij je straks uit en kan je jezelf pijn doen.’ (‘don’t do it, or you’ll slip and fall and hurt yourself’) Avery answered.

‘Speak English, Avery, we’re in the UK now. And don’t run in your socks again.’

‘Sorry, mum. I forgot.’ A scowl forming on her face, answering both instructions with one answer. 

She’d been very excited about the move to London, but the additional English and other school lessons, which would help her adjust more easily to the British curriculum, at the International School in Amsterdam she and her brothers had attended, were met with some resistance. Why would you want to do extra lessons when you could be outside, playing with your friends?

‘It’s important to practice your English. Monday you start at your new school and being able to communicate well is very important if you want to make new friends, you know.’ She softly reprimanded her daughter.

Ariel sighed a very reluctant ‘Yes, mum.’ Looking appropriately contrite and then proceeded to snatch the lollypop from Cian’s hand. 

‘Hey!’ He exclaimed. 

‘What? You said I could have it when Arthur was finished cleaning; he’s finished.’ Avery quipped and ripped the wrapper from the lollypop before popping it into her mouth, smiling sweetly at her brother. Narrowing his eyes he huffed at her and folded his arms across his chest again. 

Ariel shook her head at her daughter’s antics before turning to the tall young men who both towered over their mother and sister. Arthur and Cian topped at six-foot-four and six-foot-one respectively. Arthur being built a bit more lithely than his more solid brother, both now becoming more broad shouldered and wide chested and leaving the lank boyish frames of childhood and early teens behind.

They had come a very long way since being the small, premature babies who had entered her life after thirty-two weeks of pregnancy. Then they had been tiny, but perfect and strong. After only four weeks in hospital they were ready to go home with her and Brian.

She often wondered what it was with the twins in her family and them growing to be over six feet tall. Her younger -by twenty months- twin brothers, Barry and Sander, had also grown to be over six feet tall. 

Both her parents didn’t even break the five-foot-six barrier and while Ariel’s husband had been around five-foot-ten, she herself wasn’t taller than five-foot-two.

Must be something in the Dutch water that makes the Dekker boys grow tall like trees, her mum always joked and even though Ariel’s three children had Brian’s last name, Hendriks, they all had the Dekker gene for growing tall. 

Even Avery was growing like crazy these last few months; standing at almost five foot tall at only ten years of age, she was the tallest girl in her class. Her willowy figure with the long arms and legs a sign she’d be growing well past her mum’s height.

If she hadn’t known the boys as well as she did, she’d be intimidated by their looming length, dark hair and dark brown eyes, but as she was their mother and knew them inside and out, she wasn’t in the slightest perturbed by the fraternal twins’ almost identical frowns.  

Pinning them with a glare she saw both boys flinch a bit. The fact that she still managed to be an ‘imposing mum figure’ to them no matter how tall they grew filled her with glee and she had to suppress a chuckle by lightly biting the inside of her cheek. 

‘Okay, boys, why aren’t you upstairs unpacking your things? You’ve been at it for only…’ She checked her watch. ‘ah, 45 minutes and I don’t believe chasing your sister around the house has anything to do with emptying out those boxes in your rooms and putting everything in its place.’

Both Arthur and Cian had the common sense to look repentant and mumble an apology. 

‘Now, up you go, all three of you, and when you’re done unpacking, we’ll order some pizza.’

That lightened the mood and with a ‘Yay! Pizza!’, Avery hopped off the table and, followed by her brothers, made her way back upstairs, all three of them eventually disappearing into their respective rooms.

Apart from some clinking noises and what she suspected were thumps from books and other miscellaneous possessions being dumped on the floor, the house returned to a relative quiet. 

Sighing deeply Ariel rubbed her hands up over her face, pushing her glasses up in the process and then rubbing her eyes. It had been a very busy couple of months since the Dutch State Lottery ticket she’d received from her mother for Christmas had turned out to be the Jackpot ticket for the New Years Eve lottery. A lottery that almost always sold out because of the tax free payout of tens of millions of Euros.

She never believed in that ‘crap’ as she so eloquently put it, when some of her friends purchased their tickets just before Christmas in years past. She never even contemplated on buying such a thing. Waste of money if you asked her.

Well, fate proved her wrong and made her eat her words, 35 million times over…

She’d been in a complete state of shock for almost a week; or maybe even a month. It still felt surreal sometimes. 

No longer having any worries about money; she was able to give her children the education she wanted for them and could finally follow her dreams of living and working in London. 

The moment the money was cleared and in her bank account, she’d payed off the mortgage on the small terraced house that was located in a village just outside of Amsterdam -it had been their home for almost nine years- and put it up on the rental market. 

She then proceeded to inquire what paperwork she had to have in order to relocate to the UK. 

As it turned out, being a multi millionaire several times over got you very far in terms of immigration. 

_Please, be welcome in our country and don’t forget to bring your money with you_ , seemed to be the over all sentiment of the immigration officers.

With relative ease she and her children were granted a permit of residence, enabling her to live and work in London 

By the end of February everything was sorted and she’d started house hunting. It took several weeks of commuting back and forth between London and Amsterdam, but finally she found the perfect house. She opted for a relatively low key house in a well situated and quiet neighbourhood.  

It was a semi-detached four storey house, located in Belsize Park, in north-west London; comprising of a lower ground floor with plenty of room for her art studio and a separate garden room with french doors opening to the garden, a raised ground floor with a sitting room, dining room and kitchen, a first floor with two large bedrooms and two bathrooms -one en-suite- and a second floor with another two large bedrooms and eaves storage. Big plusses were a lovely deep garden and the colour of the house; it was a sunny yellow, brightening up the street, and her mood, from the moment she’d laid eyes on it. 

The asking price was just over three million Pounds and she had to take a couple of deep breaths to stay calm when she put in an offer. The owners took some convincing, but eventually, three days later, the house was hers.

Leaving the children in the care of her mother, she flew to London and over the next seven weeks she and a team of builders flipped the slightly run down house from being stuck in the sixties into a light and airy modern family home, with a new kitchen, new bathrooms and new toilets; giving the lower ground floor a complete overhaul, creating a large art studio for Ariel to work from, turning the garden room into a summer kitchen/dining/sitting area and making one of the large storage rooms into a bathroom. 

The house had been finished up only a week ago and she hadn’t had a chance to sit down or sleep longer than five hours a night since she started this London adventure. She’d flown back to Amsterdam on Monday May 11th to attend the graduation of the twins that same night. They both skipped a year when in primary school and were graduating at seventeen. Arthur graduating his International Baccalaureate with honours, in Economics, and Cian receiving his honours IB in Visual Arts. 

Arthur was coming to live in London with Ariel and Avery and attend the Kings College Business Management Course, but Cian had opted for an education at one of Holland’s most prestigious Art and Design Academies with a double major in Fine Arts and Graphic Design. He was going to be living in Amsterdam with his grandmother -Ariel’s mum-, Joanne, who was a lecturer in English Literature at Amsterdam University. 

It was going to be hard on the boys, be so far away from each other for the first time in their lives. And for her it was going to be just as difficult. Accepting that her babies were growing up was hard enough, but now one of them would be living in another country. Well, at least he’d be living with her mum, so he wouldn’t be completely on his own. 

The day after graduation, the packing had started in earnest. She’d been packing up things here and there when she’d had the time while flying back and forth between Amsterdam and London and she thought she’d made progress then, but looking at it now, it had been maybe only a tenth of what needed packing. It had all been very hectic and she’d only just finished wrapping the last of her mugs when the moving company arrived on Friday and had swept away all of their possessions in two big lorries.  

Yesterday Ariel and her children had hopped on a plane to London and spent the night in the new house on camping mattresses, sleeping in sleeping bags.

One of the lorries had been scheduled to arrive today -on Monday, May 18th- and it had driven up to the house very early in the morning; giving the movers more than enough time to unload the truck before noon and that gave the new occupants of the house plenty time to unpack most of the boxes by the time dinner time came around. If one’s kids didn’t find it more interesting to chase each other around the house that is.

One of the eye opening revelations Ariel had had during packing was that she never knew she had so many books. Many, many books. Maybe too many books. She paused. Nope, never too many books. She grinned to herself at the thought of all the books arriving in the last shipment tomorrow. Thirty-five moving boxes filled with books. Bookcases were already in place in the sitting and dining rooms to hold all of them. 

It would be a hell of a job getting all of the books back into alphabetic order and then into the bookcases, but she was looking forward to it. Handling books was somehow always very calming to her.

Tomorrow’s shipment would also bring the rest of the smaller furniture, a few more boxes of miscellaneous bric-a-brac, all of her art supplies and a few of the paintings she had created, which she planned on displaying throughout the house. The rest of the paintings would stay in storage in Amsterdam until she found a place in London to store them. 

Putting her glasses back in place on her nose, she wiped her hands on the hips of her torn jeans and hopped up the three steps that connected the dining room to the kitchen, opening the refrigerator to take out the carafe of iced water she’d stored there a few hours earlier. She poured herself a glass and sipped the cold beverage carefully; no brain freeze for her, thanks.

It had been an uncharacteristically warm spring and lugging around, and unpacking, boxes in a muggy house made for thirsty work. Even though they’d opened all the windows and doors so the house could air out, it stayed smothery warm inside. Hopefully tonight it would cool down a bit and they could get a much needed good nights sleep.

Finishing her drink, Ariel stretched, put away the iced water in the fridge and her used glass in the dish washer and then walked back downstairs to finish up unpacking the last things on the lower ground floor.


	3. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is my first foray into the world of FanFiction and the result of two years worth of NaNoWriMo. It is also the first story I've ever published. Please be gentle with me. ;)
> 
> It is not beta'd and has been only superficially edited. Most of the text is the same as it was when it was written down over the past two Novembers.
> 
> English is not my first language, so I apologise in advance for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes. I've done my best to weed them out, but I'm sure some of those nasty buggers have escaped my trimming shears. 
> 
> Sorry if some chapters are a bit long-winded. Gotta get to those 50000 words somehow, right? ;) 
> 
> I own nothing.
> 
> This is my sandbox. 
> 
> There will be swearing.
> 
> There will be smut in there... somewhere...
> 
> I'm building a world. So, it will be looooooooooong...
> 
> I'm still working on this, over 100000 words in.
> 
> You have been warned. 
> 
> Cheers! :D

**Chapter 2**

 

It took the better part of the week to get everything in its place. By the time Sunday came around again, Ariel and her children were completely fed up with the process of moving, unpacking and cleaning up boxes.  

Groaning, Ariel buried her head under her pillow when Avery bounded into her room and opened the curtains, laser light sun rays piercing the cool darkness behind her eyelids.

‘Ave, come on, not yet, close those curtains! It’s not even eight o’clock yet.’ She complained.

Avery bounced onto the bed next to her, the shockwave traveling through the mattress, almost launching Ariel off the bed, a hoarse squawk escaping her throat.

‘Mum. Mum. Mum. Mum. Wakey wakey!’ she chirped and kept bouncing. ‘We’re going to the Zoo! How can you not be awake yet? Come ooooooonnnn, muuuuuummmm!’  


Two days ago Avery had convinced Ariel to visit the Zoo in Regent’s Park on this Sunday and apparently she wasn’t going to be swayed to let her mum sleep in for another hour.

  
Ariel tried to ignore the mattress quake, burying herself under the duvet and holding on to the mattress for dear life.

‘Where are your brothers? Are they up yet? Have you had breakfast yet?’ Was her muffled inquiry from under the blankets.

Huffing indignantly, Avery answered, ‘I’ve been up and dressed for ages and ages, and so has Cian. He made me peanut butter sandwiches with lots of chocolate sprinkles for breakfast and gave me hot chocolate and then he went for a run in the Park, mumbling something about clearing cobwebs and dust from his lungs, his words, not mine. And Art is in the shower, he said he’s meeting up with some old friends from school at a pub around noon, so everyone’s doing stuff today. Come on mum, we gotta go! Go shower and I’ll make your breakfast, and then we go to the Zooooooooooooo!’ Her voice reaching new heights that made Ariel cringe. Too high, too shrill, too early. 

Avery stopped bouncing and slipped off the bed, doing a couple of pirouettes at the foot of the bed before running down the stairs with the boundless energy of youth, or of a girl who had been fed a truck load of sugar for breakfast. The jury was still out on that. 

‘Thanks for that, Cian.’ Ariel growled into her pillow, before throwing it at the blinding light streaming in from the window, sitting up in the same movement and settling her feet on the bright blue throw rug on the floor.  

Grumbling she made her way to the bathroom, where she turned on the shower and sat down on the toilet seat to pee. She kicked off her knickers and threw them towards the laundry basket, which they missed, of course.

‘Ugh, can’t even throw straight yet. Yep, too early for Sunday.’  

After almost falling asleep again on the toilet she finally made it to the shower. Stepping under the spray of hot water felt lovely. The warmth relaxing her muscles and the patter of water on her head slowly but surely waking her up.

Quickly she washed her hair, soaping up and rinsing; the smell of blood orange floating around her in the shower cubicle. When she shut off the water she could hear a shout from downstairs,

‘Mum, breakfast is ready!’

“Yeah, yeah, I’m almost done!’ She called out to her daughter. 

She dried off and wrapped the towel around her hair, after which she applied body-lotion and then made her way to the closet in her bedroom.

Putting on clean knickers and a bra she turned to the window, assessing what type of clothes she’d need. 

As it seemed that the warm weather streak was still going strong with blue skies and fluffy white clouds she decided on dark blue cut off jeans shorts and a navy blue distressed t-shirt that said ‘Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult’. It had been a gag gift for her last birthday from the twins, after a couple of their friends remarked on the fact that she looked more like their older sister than their mother. The age difference between her and the twins was barely 19 years and she looked quite a bit younger than her 36 years.   

She had adapted the t-shirt to her own style and had partly cut off the short sleeves so they rested just on the top of her upper arms instead of almost at her elbows and she had turned the crew neck into a scoop neck, so it was much more airy on hot days. 

To be safe she wrapped a red plaid blouse around her hips and secured the long sleeves in a knot at the front. If it cooled she’d have another layer to keep her warm.

She was a woman who mostly dressed for comfort and she shied away from wearing heels -way too painful on the feet- and formal clothing -unless the occasion called for it, like weddings, funerals, formal parties or gallery art show openings- and her style could be described as fluidly shifting between nerdy alternative and rock chick chic.

Hastily she made her way back to the bathroom and towel dried her hair. Opening the cupboard under the sink she pulled out the hair dryer and some hair mousse.

After spreading a bit of mousse through her dark brown hair she blow dried her shoulder length bob into a messy style with a side parting and side swept bangs and then applied a light touch of make-up. Just some bb-cream on her face, a light golden brown eyeshadow on the eye lids to set off her green eyes, black eyeliner on the lash line and one coat of mascara on her lashes. 

‘Muuuuuuuuuuuuummmmmm!’ 

‘Yes! I’m on my way!’ She shouted back, getting a bit irritated at her daughter’s behaviour. Ariel understood that Avery was excited about the Zoo and a bit nervous about tomorrow’s first school day, but being as jittery as she was, she needed to calm down, otherwise she’d make herself sick.

Walking back into the bedroom, she picked up her geeky glasses from the night stand and put them on. On the way out she scooped up her shoulder bag and then walked down the stairs toward the smell of coffee and toast.

At the breakfast table she found a cup of black coffee, two slices of buttered half burnt toast and a cup of fruity yoghurt, a proud Avery beaming up at her. Ariels heart melting at the sight.

‘Aw, thanks, hon!’ She smiled gratefully at her daughter and sat down at the table. 

Breakfast was edible, so, after eating, cleaning up the dishes and saying goodbye to Arthur they headed out on foot and strolled down Primrose Hill towards London Zoo. 

By now it was nearing ten o’clock and the Zoo opened just as they walked up to the pay booths. It was already quite busy and after queuing for twenty minutes they finally made it inside, Avery tugging her mother along because apparently she wasn’t walking fast enough. Ariel hoped that by the time they went home Avery would be tired enough to sleep without any interruptions and have no time to be nervous for the first day of school the next day, before she fell asleep.

Mother and daughter had a big laugh at the expense of a couple of monkeys and went all around the zoo, making sure they took in as much as there was to see. 

By the end of the day they were both exhausted and after buying an ice-cream cone they sat down on a bench just outside the exit of the Zoo. 

Ariel enjoyed the brief reprieve for her feet. 

Even though she was wearing her Doc Martens, her feet were smarting after all those hours of walking.

Stretching her legs in front of her and crossing them at the ankles she licked the melting vanilla ice cream from the cone before it dripped over her hands and looked around the park. It was nearly five and even though Regent’s Park was emptying out, people leaving to go home, or to join the dinner crowd towards pubs and restaurants, it was still quite busy. She always liked to people watch. It sometimes gave her new ideas for painting. Movement and colour often inspired her to work on an abstract. 

‘Excuse me,’ a soft feminine voice suddenly said, ‘is it okay if I sit for a while? All the other benches are full.’

Ariel looked to her right to see an elegantly dressed and heavily pregnant woman standing next to the bench. She shot up and scooted over to sit closer to Avery.

‘Of course, no problem.’ She said.

The woman gave her a grateful smile and proceeded to lower herself onto the bench, her flowery sundress floating down around her on the seat. With a light groan she stretched her legs and wiggled her silver Converse shoes, turning her ankles this way and that.

‘I went shopping today and I stubbornly decided I was still fit enough to walk back home through the park. I think I overdid things a little.’ The woman told her in a wry tone, gesturing to the bags she dumped at the side of the bench. 

This made Ariel chuckle and turn toward her.

‘Yes, I remember that time very well, the mind isn’t ready yet to let the body dictate the rhythm. How many weeks along are you?’ 

‘Only two weeks to go. But hopefully it comes sooner, such a kicker this one.’ Rubbing the side of her belly with her left hand, she suck out her right toward Ariel, ‘I’m Sophie.’

Ariel smiled, shaking Sophie’s hand. 

’Ariel.’ 

Sophie leaned over and looked around Ariel.

‘And who is this?’ indicating Avery. 

Avery looked up and waved at her, chocolate ice covered fingers glistening in the sun.

‘Hello, I’m Avery.’ She grinned, chocolate covered lips revealing chocolate stained teeth.

Apparently she had just finished off her ice-cream cone by smearing it all over herself. Ariel sighed and took the last bite of her own ice-cream cone.  

She shook her head at her daughter.

‘Ave, sometimes I wonder if you are four instead of ten. Go on and wash up.’ she said, pointing at the Ready Money drinking fountain that stood about fifty yards down The Broad Walk.

Giggling, Avery launched herself from the bench and skipped towards the fountain. 

Both women looked after her and then looked at each other, smiling. 

’I’ll bet she’s a handful.’ Sophie said. 

Ariel laughed and looked at the fountain where her daughter now was giggling and splattering around with a couple of girls who looked like they were about her age.

‘You have no idea. I just hope she won’t return from the fountain drenched from head to toe.’ 

Sophie smiled at her, indicating Ariel’s left arm.

‘I love your tattoos, by the way. I have one, a small rose, on my shoulder blade, but I’ve never been brave enough to get something as beautiful an intricate as your sleeve.’ 

Ariel looked down at her left arm and smiled at the labour of love that was her tattoo. She'd designed the tattoo herself and had spent months looking online for an artist she deemed worthy to permanently ink the piece into her skin.

It was a whirl of abstract shapes and curves starting in vibrant blues at her shoulder, gradually woven into oranges and yellows as it progressed down towards her wrist. Worked into the abstract were three fibonacci spirals that stood for her three children. As a whole it depicted her joy and love for her children; _a gloriously overwhelming explosion of feels_ , as she liked to jokingly describe it.

‘Thank you, after all these years, I’m still hopelessly in love with it. It’s not always looked upon as graciously as I would like, but I think it’s worth getting the occasional stink-eye for.’  

‘Well, if people can’t admire a good piece of art, then that’s their loss.’ Sophie answered.

‘Right you are.’ 

‘Are you and your daughter here on holiday? If so, you’ve got lovely weather to sightsee in London. I don’t think we’ve had such a fantastic spring in years.’ 

Ariel was quick to correct her.

‘No, we’re not tourists, even though we’ll be doing touristy things for the coming months, I’m sure. We only just moved here from the Netherlands. 

Yesterday we unpacked the last few boxes and I promised Avery we’d go to the Zoo today. She’s been asking since we arrived.’ 

‘Ah, that’s a big step, emigrating. Was it for a job opportunity?’ Sophie asked. 

Ariel shook her head, well aware she was being measured, albeit in a very friendly way. She didn’t think Sophie meant anything by it, other than seeking out an acquaintanceship. 

Maybe the woman was lonely in this big city. And apparently she wasn’t the only one feeling an instant click with the other woman. They may be completely different in outward appearance, but Ariel could sense that they matched in personalities.  

‘Not really, well, maybe. I’ve been offered a few things in the City. But the main reason was the need for a change of environment. We’ve gone through quite a rough patch over the last few years. The children and I decided starting over in London would suit us most.’  

Sophie gave her a sympathetic look but didn’t pry on what had happened. Then what Ariel said clicked in her mind, her eyes lighting up.

‘Children? You have more than one? Are they older or younger than Avery?’ Her eyes wide with excitement. Apparently the woman loved children.

The enthusiastic question made Ariel laugh. She didn’t know why, but she liked this woman she’d only just met. There was a genuine kindness to her that you just couldn't fake. 

That was the only explanation she could give for sharing this much of her life in such a short time while she usually was a bit more introverted and withdrawn when meeting new people.

‘Yes, I do have more children than Avery. They’re twin boys and they’re quite a bit older than her. They’re seventeen now and really, really tall.’ 

‘Wow.’ She breathed, ‘Seventeen. That’s almost all grown up. I hope you don’t find this too forward of me, but I’m now very curious about your age. You don’t look old enough to have such grown-up teenagers. I mean, you’d have to have been very young when you had them. Again, I mean no disrespect, I’m just curious.’ Sophie said apologetically.

‘Well, I turned thirty-six in January, so I’m not that young anymore, but I do get that question a lot when people find out I’m the boys’ mother and not their older sister. And yes, I was quite young when I had the twins. I was nineteen and still at University. Avery was born seven years later, after I got my degree and started working.’ 

‘Hah! you’re only ten months younger than I am. I just can’t believe how young you look, I wouldn’t have thought you were over thirty. 

I turned thirty-seven in March. And I’m only now having my first baby. Strange and wonderful how life can be so diverse, isn’t it?’ She mused. 

Ariel hummed in assent and the two women quietly people watched for a few minutes. It didn’t feel like an uncomfortable silence, it was more a content state of being. 

Suddenly the quiet was breached by the ringing of a mobile phone.

Sophie scrambled to free the device from her purse. Digging around hurriedly she finally fished it out.

‘I really need to declutter my bag.’ She said with an eye roll before picking up.

Ariels eyes crinkled in amusement as she gazed at her new acquaintance, friend, something and let out a chuckle. 

‘Hello darling!’ Sophie said, her eyes lighting up.

‘Yes, I’m alright’ She smiled.

‘No, I’m at Reg…’ Surprised she stopped talking and she took the phone from her ear and looked at it with a bit of irritation. 

‘Well, that’s a bit inopportune… My phone battery died. Could you be so inclined to let me use yours? I just need to tell my husband I’m okay, and maybe convince him to come pick me up, because I’m not sure I’ll be able to walk the entire way home.’  

Ariel fished around in her back pocket and pulled out her phone. Unlocking the screen she handed it to Sophie.

‘Yes, of course, no problem.’ She smiled.

Sophie thanked her and looked at the screen, which had a picture of Ariel’s children on it. She smiled and held it up for Ariel to see.

‘Your children are beautiful, Ariel. Those boys must be breaking hearts all over London.’  

‘Ugh, I hope not, we just got here.’ Ariel snickered and winked at Sophie. 

Sophie laughed and proceeded to dial her husband's number. After it went on ringing for a while the other side finally picked up.

‘Ben, it’s me, don’t hang up.’ She quickly spoke in the phone. Ariel raised a brow at that strange greeting but as the rest of the conversation progressed normally, she didn’t think anything of it. 

A low voice at the other end of the line asked if she was okay.

‘Yes, yes, I’m alright. I've met this lovely woman and her daughter who shared their bench with me when everywhere else was full.’ She smiled at Ariel. 

Sophie turned away from her a bit and Ariel now only could hear her replies. 

‘I’m sitting on a bench at the Ready Money fountain in Regent’s.’ 

‘I know, I overdid it a bit.’  

‘Yes, I’m already on my way home, but I was wondering if you’ve finished up with those meetings and are able to pick me up. I don’t think I can walk another yard and I don’t really want to take a taxi.’ 

A sigh of relief left her body and she visibly relaxed. 

‘Okay darling, I’ll wait right here. Then you can meet Ariel. She’s so nice. She’s a mum to three children. Can you imagine, three! I can’t even fathom what it is like raising one.’

She listened to a quite lengthy answer from the other side.

‘No, she doesn’t know.’ An exasperated sigh.  

Both Ariel’s eyebrows rose up now. What didn’t she know? 

More talk from the other side of the line. 

‘No, she’s nice. There’s no agenda. I approached her. I think I’ve become a quite good judge of character in the past few years.’ Sophie’s posture tightened a bit.  
  
This conversation was getting stranger by the minute… 

‘Yes, I’m sure, darling.’ 

‘It’s okay. I know how hard it is. We’re in this together, remember?’ A softening of the eyes and another sigh. 

‘Okay, I’ll see you in a few. Bye, darling, love you.’ And with that she hung up.

When she turned back around Ariel saw the apology on her face. Ariel raised an eyebrow in surprise. 

‘I know, that was a really strange conversation.’ She said. ‘But you have to know that my husband isn’t overly careful or paranoid.’ 

Ariel gave her an uncertain look. She wasn’t so sure.  

Sophie continued.

‘He is quite well-known. Well, okay, you could call him famous, and people have tried before to get to him through befriending me. Those times were a wake-up call for both of us and he didn’t take it very well that our private lives were laid bare to the world by said people. He’s gotten very, very careful in choosing his friends since then, and is also very wary of anyone new I meet.’ 

Ariel nodded in understanding. She didn’t want to imagine what is was like, living your life without much privacy and being scrutinised from all sides. 

‘That must be hard on you both, not knowing who to trust anymore.’ She said sympathetically.

Sophie shook her head, looking down, eyes a bit sad. ‘You have no idea.’ 

She took a deep breath and then she looked up into Ariel’s eyes with resolve.

‘Look, I know I’ve just met you and don’t know anything about you and you don’t know anything about me, but I have this feeling we could become good friends. Call it a hunch.’ 

Frowning a bit in thought, she continued.

‘You’re new to London and I don’t think you’ve gotten around to getting to know new people and I, well, I lost a lot of so-called friends when I married my husband so suddenly and then turned out to be pregnant. My husband is like this national treasure and I’m seen as a witch, luring him into a marriage by becoming pregnant. Which is absolute rubbish, by the way, as we were already in a very seriously committed relationship before I fell pregnant. The baby just speeded things up a bit.’  

A soft smile then ghosted over her face, eyes unfocussed, thoughts drawn to baby and husband, no doubt.

A loud laugh coming from somewhere near them snapped her out of it. Ariel couldn't contain a soft chuckle. The woman was clearly head over heels in love. 

‘Where was I? Ah yes, bitch friends being bitches, if you’ll pardon my French, and you being new to the city.’ She chortled a bit and then gazed expectantly at Ariel, ‘I like you and would like to know more about you and I was wondering if you’d like to get to know me better too and have lunch or come to dinner at my place this week and me maybe ending up as your first London friend?  
Wow, that came out fast. And not a eloquent as I’d have liked. I always start to babble when I’m nervous.’ She laughed at herself and smiled at Ariel. 

Ariel blinked a few times, feeling overwhelmed by the sudden chatterbox qualities and the kind gesture of friendship from her new friend-in-the-making. She was sure she looked like a deer in headlights while she tried to gather her wits. 

‘I, um, I’d like that. You’re right, I don’t have any friends in this city and finding someone who wants to be a friend this soon after moving… Well, I certainly didn’t expect to find a potential friend at the exit of the Zoo, but I’ll take it’ She snickered and pulled a funny face at Sophie, who started to laugh at her sense of humor.

Sophie fiddled with Ariel’s phone, which she was still holding, entering a number in the phone book and then sending a text before handing it back. 

‘There, I’ve programmed my number into your phonebook and sent myself a text, so I have your number as well. In friendship, a good communication line is key.’ She stated and winked.

‘I did delete Ben’s number from the memory though. He doesn’t like anyone but the most important people in his life having his phone number. I hope you don’t mind.’ 

Ariel shook her head.

‘No, that’s okay, I don’t mind. I do however have a great curiosity about your husband now, Sophie. Quite well-known, famous, national treasure that he is.’ She looked at her new friend with a serious look on her face. She couldn’t keep a straight face however when Sophie looked a bit uncomfortable and started to um.  

She burst out laughing and patted Sophie on the arm.

‘It’s okay, Sophie, I’m not, not really. I’ve never been prone to idolizing celebrities or to fan-girling. He must be a good person if he deserves the look I saw on your face when you talked about him earlier and that’s all I have to know for now.’ Then she suddenly grabbed Sophie’s hand and looking at her with wide eyes, to dramatize her next sentence.

‘Unless it’s Jeremy Irons, then all bets are off!’ Pulling a lovey-dovey face at the mention of her most favorite actor ever, and bringing forward some fake swooning, she managed to make Sophie snort with laughter, twice in a row.  

Sophie put a hand over her mouth and nose in shock.

‘Oh my god, did I just snort?’ She laughed, sounding aghast. ‘I sound like a pig.’ And she snorted again. ‘Oh god, I can’t stop!’  

Ariel couldn’t stop laughing, her eyes tearing up in mirth.

‘Well, then maybe it isn’t very surprising I found you at the Zoo,’ She snickered, holding her sides, and both women dissolved into giggles, hanging off of each other. 

Ariel hadn’t had so much fun in months, and relished the easy click she had with the other woman.


	4. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is my first foray into the world of FanFiction and the result of two years worth of NaNoWriMo. It is also the first story I've ever published. Please be gentle with me. ;)
> 
> It is not beta'd and has been only superficially edited. Most of the text is the same as it was when it was written down over the past two Novembers.
> 
> English is not my first language, so I apologise in advance for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes. I've done my best to weed them out, but I'm sure some of those nasty buggers have escaped my trimming shears. 
> 
> Sorry if some chapters are a bit long-winded. Gotta get to those 50000 words somehow, right? ;) 
> 
> I own nothing.
> 
> This is my sandbox. 
> 
> There will be swearing.
> 
> There will be smut in there... somewhere...
> 
> I'm building a world. So, it will be looooooooooong...
> 
> I'm still working on this, over 100000 words in.
> 
> You have been warned. 
> 
> Cheers! :D

**Chapter 3**

  

They came up for air when a low-voiced chuckle broke through their mirth and both women looked up simultaneously at the tall man now standing by their bench.  
‘Hm, I came here to pick up my wife, but I’ve stumbled upon Miss Piggy and co, or so it would seem from all the snorting noises…’ 

He was wearing dark blue cargo shorts and a dark grey t-shirt and had a flat-cap on his head, aviator sunglasses on his nose, and black Converse on his feet. 

Ariel could see he had tried to dress as incognito as possible, but to no avail. He was already attracting attention and well aware of it. People were pulling out their phones and snapping pictures.

Rocking back and forth on his feet a bit uncomfortably, Benedict Cumberbatch looked down at the women on the bench with a slight smile around his lips, eyes crinkling, before taking off his sunglasses and sticking out his hand toward the pint-sized young woman sitting next to his wife. 

She was not what he had expected and was pleasantly surprised by the exuberant laughter of his wife. 

After all the bullshit the media and his fans, and not to mention their former friends, had put her through, she hadn't really laughed like that for quite a few months. 

‘Ben Cumberbatch.’ 

Ariel snapped out of her flabbergasted daze, hearing Sophie softly chuckling next to her, and found her good manners again. She hurriedly stood up and shook his hand. 

‘Ariel Dekker. I know who you are, my daughter makes me watch Sherlock.’ Her eyes went wide. What? Why did she say that? And in that tone? That’s not good manners! Shit! 

Behind her Sophie started snort-laughing again. And then an exasperated, ‘Oh good god.’ was heard, and another snort. 

Benedict’s eyes flitted from Ariel to his wife and then settled on Ariel again. 

‘Well, I hope it wasn’t too much of a chore?’ He asked seriously, but with a humorous glint in his eyes, still shaking her hand. 

Ariel pulled her hand out of his and put both hands over her face in mortification. 

‘Oh god, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it like that! I’m not normally this blunt. I think. Am I?… Was I?’ She looked back to Sophie inquiringly. Sophie could only laugh and shrug and wasn’t much help.  

Ben tried to hide his amusement from the curvy petite woman, not exactly succeeding in his endeavor. 

She took a deep breath and looked up. 

‘Let’s try this again, okay?’  

Ben nodded, smiling at her.

She stuck out her hand and shook Benedict’s hand again, looking him in the eyes.

‘Hello, I’m Ariel Dekker, and my daughter and I watch Sherlock. I like your work and season 4 is highly anticipated in our household. I’m an illustrator and artist from the Netherlands, um, thirty-six years old, I’m over all a nice person, I think, even though I really do hate spiders, with a vengeance, and I swear a lot sometimes and I didn’t know who your wife was when she swooped in and appropriated more than half of the bench. Oh fuck, I’m rambling. Shit, I cussed. Oh no… I’ll just shut up now…’ A grimace showed on her face.

Benedict threw his head back and roared with laughter. This short woman was hilarious. Completely disarming his initial reluctance toward her sudden appearance in their lives. She was as genuine as they came. 

A very indignant, ‘Hey!’ was heard from behind her when Ariel mentioned Sophie’s bench takeover, and her hinting at it being a hostile invasion. 

She let go of Ben’s hand and turned around, huffing at Sophie, hands on her hips

‘Serves you right, laughing at me digging a hole for myself. You’re no help at. all.’ 

Sophie retaliated immediately and guffawed,

‘Ariel, you just totally fan-girled over my husband!’ 

‘Did not!’ Then, realization dawning, Ariel recounted the last ten minutes and then face palmed. ‘On no, I totally did… I’m so sorry!’ looking back and forth between the two spouses through her fingers. 

‘It’s okay, Ariel. Not the most disastrous first meeting I’ve ever had.’ Ben said. 

Sophie giggled, ‘Oh yes! Remember when you first met the Queen, darling? You practiced for days and then at the moment supreme, poof, eloquent Ben was gone!' 

Ben glared playfully at his wife, ‘Thanks for that, honey. Just swoop in and sully my dashing reputation.’ 

Ariel was glad the couple tried to distract her from her mortification. It did endear them to her even more. 

She grinned at their antics and she started to thank them for being awesome about her being a bumbling idiot, when a cold, wet and squealing body collided with her side. Drawing an ‘Oof.’ from her mouth and almost bowling her off-kilter. 

She wrapped her arms around the giggling girl to keep her balance and got the front of her t-shirt wet in the process. Looking down at the radiant face of her daughter, she smiled. 

‘Hello, Ave. Did you have fun drenching yourself? And me…’ 

Avery looked up and grinned. 

‘Oops, sorry mum! I was being chased by my friends.’ And she pointed at the two girls who were standing on the grass on the other side of the fountain.  

They were being dried off by a woman who, having the same bright red hair as the girls, was undoubtedly their mother.

When she saw Ariel watching, she nodded and gave a small wave. Ariel nodded and smiled back and turned her attention back to her daughter, who had squirmed out of the hug and was now standing stock still, gaping up at Ben.

‘Well, hello there.’ Said Ben, smiling down at the girl.

Avery stepped closer and whispered, ‘You are Sherlock.’ 

Ben’s face lit up in a mischievous grin.

‘I am aware.’ He whispered back, giving her a wink. 

Then Avery proceeded to give him a tight hug, getting Ben’s shirt wet too.

‘I love you!’ She squealed. 

Ben laughed.

‘I’m very flattered, young lady, but my heart is spoken for.’

Avery awed and let him go, turning to Sophie. A question on her face.

‘You’re married to Sherlock?’ 

Sophie nodded, smiling. 

‘And you’re having a baby! That’s so cool! Mum, isn’t that sooooo cool?’ She grinned at her mother, jumping up and down. 

Ariel acquiesced and then turned to Ben, her eyebrows drawn together. She had noticed quite the crowd forming near the fountain and even though they were still keeping a respectful distance, she suspected that that could change any minute.

‘Not to be a spoil sport, but we’re attracting quite a lot of attention. Maybe we should get this movable feast under way? Before there are throngs of people between us and your car.’ She nodded towards the crowd. 

Ben’s relaxed countenance became a bit more rigid when he turned halfway toward the crowd and looked at the people from the corner of his eyes, not looking directly at them. Ariel thought that a smart move; as long as Ben didn’t acknowledge the crowd, they wouldn’t have an excuse to come any closer. 

He then nodded, a grave expression on his face, and stepped towards his wife.

‘Come on, Soph, time to get to your feet. Up you go.’ He took her hand and pulled her into a standing position. Sophie groaned when stiffened leg muscles protested against having to return to work. Her free hand going to her back as she stretched.

‘Ugh, I’m so staying in bed tomorrow.’ She huffed. 

Ben chuckled and turned to the bags next to the bench, but Ariel waved him away.

‘Go take care of your wife, we’ll take the bags. Just lead the way.’

He shot her a grateful look and offered Sophie his arm.  

Ariel turned to Avery and gave her a couple of the shopping bags. Avery took them from her and bounded off towards Sophie and Ben, who had started slowly walking up the Broad Walk, towards the northern exit of the park. 

Quickly Ariel gathered the rest of the bags, checked the bench for forgotten items and then proceeded to power walk up to the threesome up the road, hearing her daughter chatter away about anything and everything and making Ben and Sophie answer a never ending flow of questions about Sherlock and the baby.

As she caught up she risked a glance backward and quickly turned back around again, paling.

‘I think we need to move faster!’ She whispered to Sophie, who then also glanced back and sped up her walk, supporting her belly with her free hand. 

They were being followed by a large crowd and they weren’t that far off either.

At the front there were a couple of paparazzo’s, snapping away with their camera’s, flashes lighting up the surroundings, and they started to shout questions and instructions at them when they saw Sophie turn around. The crowd following their example and getting more rowdy.

Ariel found the questions very invasive and bordering on verbal assault and the rowdiness of the people following them was worrying her. This could get out of hand very fast.  
  
‘Almost there, love. I’m parked to the left of the exit.’ Ben said when they reached the park gates. Sophie was stumbling ahead on her painful feet, her large belly hindering her more than she let on; Ariel could see her struggling to keep up to Ben.

‘Ben!’ She shouted over the roar of the crowd, making him look at her. She saw panic in his eyes. He wanted his wife and child somewhere safe, and fast. ‘Grab your car keys, open the car from here, and pick up your wife. She can’t keep up. I’ll hold them off as long as is necessary to get her into the car. Take Avery with you!’ 

The calculated planning intellect Ariel displayed under stress, calmed him down a bit. She could see him taking a deep breath, trying to keep the flight response under control. 

She swallowed, acknowledging the tight spot she was about to put herself in. 

‘And please, wait for me to jump in the back, okay?’ She pleaded with him, eyes a bit unsure. 

He nodded and said a soft thank you before grabbing the keys from his trouser pocket and picking up his wife, bridal style. In the distance she heard a soft beep as the doors of his car were unlocked.

‘Come on, Avery, help me get Sophie in the car. Your mum is going to talk to the people for a bit, okay?’ He said.

Avery, wide eyed, looked at her mother in confusion and then at the crowd and shivered.

‘But…’ 

‘No, buts, Ave, go with Sherlock. I’ll be right behind you, I promise. Now go!’ Ariel used a no nonsense tone with her daughter, an iron willpower demanding absolute obedience. 

Ben heard the clipped tone and turned to her. He saw the intensity on Ariel’s face, and some of the doubt he had about the tiny woman -who had been so easygoing and hilarious only minutes before- being able to control the crowd or do anything at all to dissuade the paparazzo’s, melted away. This was a woman to be reckoned with. He just hoped it was enough to help them get to the car before the crowd reached them. 

‘Come on, Avery!’He called again, an edge to his voice, and this time Avery listened, casting a last skeptical look at her mother, before turning and following him to the car, muttering under her breath. He picked up on something about crazy idiot mothers being stupid. It almost made him laugh, but it came out in a stressed huff. 

When her new friends and her daughter were finally walking towards the car again, Ariel turned to the crowd and let loose the anger that had been bubbling up while they were chased up the Broad Walk. 

‘How dare you!’ She spat at the paparazzo’s. ‘How dare you bully a person like that! Rushing them and scaring them into abandoning their quiet afternoon in the park. Sophie is almost nine months pregnant, you fuckers! What if you caused her baby harm by flooding her system with so much stress hormones that she became faint! I can’t believe you bunch of grown men with your heads so far up your arses that you haven’t seen light for months! You’re being irresponsible and you are endangering an unborn child’s life! You unicellular organisms!’ 

The paparazzi, apparently not expecting being set upon by a pint-sized spitfire, were taken aback and forgot to take pictures or shout abuse at her. Some people in the crowd snickered at the verbal abuse she hurled at the men. 

Then she addressed the crowd, her eyes blazing.  
‘And you! Yes, you other people! Ben and Sophie are not public property to be gaped at, and demanded attention from, whenever you feel like it. If you want to stare google-eyed at other primates, go to the Zoo! Oooooh look!’ She exclaimed in fake astonishment while she looked to her right; a lot of people following her gaze. ‘There it is! The Zoo! Now fuck off and go look at some apes! Assholes!’ 

At that moment a the sound of a car horn was heard and Ariel took that as her cue to leave.  

She bared her teeth at the crowd in a fake smile and said in a saccharine voice, ‘Thank you for your attention, now please go and needle some of your family members, you dull-witted Prosimians! They’re open until six.’ 

The crowd was eerily silent, only a few confused whispers to be heard. 

‘Yeah, that’s what I thought. Troglodytes, every last one of you.’ She gave a dramatic bow and then ran up to the car. 

Ben leaned over and opened the passenger door for her, having put Avery and Sophie in the back, so Sophie could stretch her legs in Avery’s lap.

She jumped in, slamming the door closed and shouted, ‘Go! Go! Go!’ Breathing fast and eyes wild from an adrenaline rush. 

Ben didn’t waste a moment, starting the car and flooring the pedal. 

In the mirror he could see the still flabbergasted crowd growing smaller and smaller as they whizzed down Outer Circle toward Hanover Gate and then on to Park Road. 


	5. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is my first foray into the world of FanFiction and the result of two years worth of NaNoWriMo. It is also the first story I've ever published. Please be gentle with me. ;)
> 
> It is not beta'd and has been only superficially edited. Most of the text is the same as it was when it was written down over the past two Novembers.
> 
> English is not my first language, so I apologise in advance for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes. I've done my best to weed them out, but I'm sure some of those nasty buggers have escaped my trimming shears. 
> 
> Sorry if some chapters are a bit long-winded. Gotta get to those 50000 words somehow, right? ;) 
> 
> I own nothing.
> 
> This is my sandbox. 
> 
> There will be swearing.
> 
> There will be smut in there... somewhere...
> 
> I'm building a world. So, it will be looooooooooong...
> 
> I'm still working on this, over 100000 words in.
> 
> You have been warned. 
> 
> Cheers! :D

**Chapter 4**

 

‘Where do you live, love?’ Ben asked a few minutes after they'd taken off from the park.

The question snapped Ariel out of the adrenaline induced daze.

‘Whuh?’ Was her eloquent answer, staring at Ben with blank eyes, not understanding what he asked.

Avery sighed from the back seat, while Sophie let out a nervous giggle.

‘We live on Provost Road.’ Avery said. 

‘Oh,’ Sophie exclaimed happily, ‘That’s near us! We live at Chalcot Gardens, a private road next to England’s Lane.’

Ariel drew a blank. She had no idea where that was, other than near her house, apparently. Turning around to face Sophie, she shrugged her shoulders and shook her head, indicating her ignorance on the layout of her new neighbourhood.

Sophie saw her puzzled expression and laughed softly. ‘I’ll take you for coffee at Camomile's on England’s lane sometime in the coming week. Their pastries are to die for.’

They were stuck in a very slow moving traffic jam on Prince Albert Road and Ariel was grateful for the tinted windows. That way they wouldn’t be spotted as fast as they would have been when the windows were see-through. Going around the park to the north east, had put them only a few hundred meters from the exit of the park again. Thankfully the car was a dark sedan, being swallowed up by the throng of other dark sedans that littered the road.

When the rush of Ariel’s anger and adrenaline finally wore off, the reality of things started to set in.

Horrified Ariel recounted what she had shouted at the crowd. And how many mobile phones and cameras had been pointed her way. She’d be all over the internet in a few hours. That she didn’t doubt for a second. Not with her sudden acquaintance with the Cumberbatches. 

‘Oh god! What have I done! Shit shit shit shit fuuuuck!’ She groaned as she rubbed her hands over her face, smearing her eyeliner and mascara. ‘What have I dooooooonnneeee?!’ She bemoaned.

Soothingly rubbing Ariel’s shoulder from the back seat, Sophie made another snorting noise, followed by an annoyed huff.

‘Well, I’d say you saved our arses back there. And made me laugh funny.’

Avery giggled.

‘No no no, oh my god, I shouted so much abuse at those people. What kind of person am I?!’ Ariel almost sobbed.

‘Yes, you did! And you were…’ Ben was searching for a word describing Ariel’s tirade. ‘…Magnificent!’ He then said with gleeful conviction, taking his eyes briefly off the road and looking her in the eyes approvingly.

‘Really?’ She asked in a small voice, very unsure of herself, still convinced her new friends wouldn’t approve of her rant.

‘Yeah, mum, you kicked ass!’ Avery bounced up and down on the back seat swinging her fists with abandon.

‘Avery! Language!’ Ariel said, even though she knew she hadn't really set a good example by going to town on that crowd.

Ben chuckled.

‘I don’t know what you said to them, but you had them mesmerised with your body language and your impassioned speech. Ever thought of giving the theatre a try?’

‘What? Um, no, I never thought about that. Don't know if I’d want to act either. For me the arts have always been about drawing and painting.’ Ariel backpedaled, shaking her head and trying to get her head around the sudden change of topic.

Sophie suddenly shot up behind Ariel, slapping the back of Ben’s seat.

‘Oh! Ben! You’re on to something! She’s funny and smart and brave and can apparently also be very, very intimidating. If you could reproduce that tirade and intensity at an audition, I’d hire you on the spot!’

Confused Ariel turned to Sophie, a big question mark on her face.

‘Oh, didn’t I tell you, I’m a theatre director and playwright. I direct and write plays,’ she pulled a face at her belly, ‘Well, when I’m not waddling around like a overly pregnant hippo that is…’

Avery laughed loudly at that analogy.

‘I like Sherlock’s wife, mum, she’s funny.’

‘If you think I’m funny, you should meet Watson’s wife, she’s even funnier!’ Sophie smiled.

‘Oooooh, I love Mary! Can I, mum? Is it okay if I meet her?’ She shook her mother by the shoulder and then turned to Sophie, her eyes big and pleading. ‘Can you introduce us?’

Ariel was stunned by Sophie’s revelation of being a theatre director and she didn’t catch her answer. Her brain was buzzing with all the impressions from a very eventful day.

She’d found new friends on her first day out in London and they were both into the arts. She couldn't believe her luck. Fellow artists to talk to! About art!

In the Netherlands, Brian’s friends had been her friends and they had all been into business and marketing. Not one artist among them. She’d always felt like a stranger in their midst.

She did have a few acquaintances within the art community, but because she didn’t move in their social circles she only had real contact with them when she collaborated on shared art shows. 

It was a thing she’d always missed after uni, like-minded people. 

She had been too young when she quit school to have the twins and she had been a few years older than her peers when she went back to get her degree. So she had never really laid down strong friendship bonds in the years that bonding with people with similar interests was so very important…

She’d been so immersed in her thoughts on the past that she hadn’t noticed the car had become quiet. Before long they pulled up outside her house.

Ariel turned around in her seat to say goodnight to Sophie, only to discover she had fallen asleep with her head against the window, exhausted by the enervating and stressful afternoon.

Avery wasn’t asleep yet, but she was yawning and rubbing her eyes. It was only just past six pm, but it had been an eventful day.

Ben got out of the car and opened Avery’s door to help her the girl out from under Sophie’s legs. He lifted her out of the car and picked her up, so she didn’t stumble out into the street and then softly closed the door again, walking around the car to the sidewalk, waiting for Ariel to exit from her side.

Ariel turned around in her chair and softly shook Sophie, only just rousing her.

‘Sophie, we’re at my home.’ She whispered. ‘I’m going now, have a very good night and I’ll speak to you later, okay?’

Sophie looked at her with drowsy eyes and smiled droopily.

‘Bye, Ari, I’ll ring you tomorrow, or the day after.’ 

Ariel nodded and gave her a small wave before exiting the car.

Outside she found Avery curled up in Ben’s arms, against his chest, almost asleep.

‘I’ll walk you up.’ He whispered.

Ariel nodded gratefully and he followed her up the stairs to the front door and then through the door, up the stairs to the first floor and then to the second floor, into Avery’s room.

With an audible ‘oof’ he lowered her to her bed, while Ariel took off Avery’s shoes.

‘I have a feeling that I have been taken advantage of, having carried your daughter up all those flights of stairs.’ Ben groaned, stretching his back and putting his hands on his hips.

‘You are not wrong.’ Ariel jokingly agreed, pulling up the sheets over her sleeping daughter and then making her way past Ben and out of the room.

Ben followed her back down the stairs and out onto the stoop.

‘Thanks for the lift. And for carrying Avery up to her bed.’ Ariel said, turning to him. ’I hope you and Sophie will get some rest tonight and won’t have droves of paps laying in wait at your house.’

  
Ben smiled at the woman in front of him. She had an easygoing nonchalance, and also a caring way about her that he had all but forgotten existed outside his family and close friends. When almost everyone you met was looking to better themselves, socially and career wise, through you, you became jaded. Paranoid, even. 

He was glad to find that there were still people out there who were friendly and caring just because it was their nature, not because they had an agenda.

‘And I thank you for everything you’ve done for me and my wife today. I don’t think anyone has ever defended us like that. I feel humbled and very amused at the same time. And I’d be honoured if I could call you my friend also, just like Sophie.’ Ariel nodded, overwhelmed, her throat closed off by emotion, unable to speak, and Ben enveloped her in a crushing bear hug before turning and skipping down the stairs.

When he was almost at the sidewalk he looked back at her, frowning, remembering something. 

‘Ah, yes, and I advise you to lay low for a few days, don’t go out too much and don’t look at the tabloids. Or the news. Or the internet. Well, just stay away from any news outlets, okay?’

Ariel nodded, pulling a worried face.

‘Don’t worry too much, what’s done is done. You’ll be fine. We’ve got your back.’ Ben assured her and got into his car. Sleeping Sophie was invisible behind the tinted windows.

Revving the engine, he pulled out of the parking space carefully and with a quiet beep from the car horn the car zoomed away, around the corner of Eton Villas and out of sight.

Taking a deep breath, Ariel closed the door and leaned against it, looking down at the wooden floor. 

Dear lord, what had she unleashed? She wasn’t naive enough to believe there was no footage of her blow-up and Ben’s parting words had only confirmed her suspicions.

She wanted to trust him, but she also knew that what got onto the internet, stayed there, forever.

There was a rustling at the door to the sitting room and when she looked up, two dark haired boys were curiously peeking out the opening. Faces sporting a look of disbelief.

‘Mum,’ Arthur asked, his voice a few pitches higher than it normally was and his eyes wide with wonder, ‘Was that… Benedict. Cumberbatch?!’

Ariel walked through the hallway and pushed past her two flabbergasted sons, toward the kitchen, shaking her head at the ridiculous day she had.

‘Ugh, I need a drink…’


	6. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A visit to Chamomile. What could go wrong?

**Chapter 5**

 

It was four-and-a-half days later  that Ariel and Sophie were sat at a table at Chamomile’s on England’s lane, hands folded around their coffee cups, deliciously smelling pastries untouched on their plates, for now. 

Thankfully the paparazzi siege of the Cumberbatch residence, which had been going strong since Sunday night, had been disbanded by the police the day before, scattering the remaining paps, forcing them to hunt for other stories and pictures and Sophie and Ben could move around their neighbourhood relatively freely again.

It was early Friday morning and all around them the small cafe buzzed with activity. 

People were waiting in line for their first shot of coffee of the day, before hurrying off to their work destinations.

A couple of posh mothers, talking away over light breakfast salads and green teas, occupied three tables at the front window, while occasionally glancing into the prams parked next to them, checking if their children were still asleep. 

The store was much too small to house so many prams, especially at this hour, Avery thought. They were in the way of other costumers and she saw the irritated glances people threw them while trying to fight their way back past the line and to the door.

Sophie and Ariel were seated a bit to the back, out of direct sight of the large windows. A companionable silence stretching between them while they people watched.

Ariel’s thoughts went back to the past few days.

Avery’s first day at school, on Monday, had come and gone and because every day since 'The Incident’, as she'd named it, Ariel had dressed herself up in smart clothes and make-up, deciding to forego her glasses and wear her contacts, she hadn’t been recognised by parents or teachers at her daughter’s school or anyone else she encountered, much to her relief.

Two days after 'The Incident’, Sophie had sent her a couple of text messages, one of them urging her again to not go onto the internet, or to come by her house. 

The paparazzi was camped at the exit of her street. She mentioned being thankful to live on a private road, so the press mosquitos weren’t allowed to come too close to the house, but it was an annoyance for all the residents of Chalcot Gardens, because of paps obstructing the exit and entry of the road. 

Another text had mentioned that Ariel had ‘Broken the Internet’, whatever that meant.

When she’d sent a text back with all question marks, Sophie answered with a screen shot of what looked like a Tumblr comment section.

Apparently the ‘Cumberbitches’… _What the who now?_ … Loved her for defending his Batchness and the babyBatch, but they weren’t sure if her being ‘maybe-friends’ with Sophie made her a traitorous bitch, just a misguided girl or a paid actress, hired to get more exposure for ‘fame-whore’ Sophie; the last theory was probably based on Ariel's sudden appearance in their lives and no-one knowing who she was or where she came from.

The fandom was obviously torn up about it, the camps evenly divided.

Ariel couldn’t believe the vitriol spewed by some of the fans. It made her sad that Sophie had to deal with this, day in and day out and it didn’t do anything for her mood, which had been a bit down since Sunday. 

She didn’t know why, it was just as if everything around her was just a bit more drab than she felt it should be. She should be happy; should be looking forward to building a new life in London and be glad that she had already found a couple of friends. It was just… She still felt slightly out of place and a bit lonely. She hoped the feeling would pass soon. It sucked.

Other than the media shit-storm that Ben and Sophie weathered like experienced professionals, the week had progressed quietly for Ariel and her family. 

Avery had been very happy with her teachers and her new classmates and play-dates for the next week had already been made. 

Arthur and Cian had gone off sightseeing together and she hadn’t seen much of them in the past few days.

Except for grocery runs and taking Avery to school and picking her up again at the end of her day, Ariel had had a lot of time on her hands.

She’d been strangely restless, going from trying to finish a painting, to illustration work, to unpacking some last things, to rearranging furniture. She just couldn’t seem to concentrate on anything for long and suspected this to be a result of having to switch back and forth between so many tasks in the past few months. 

Now that she had a regular schedule again, she found that adjusting to peace and quiet was harder than she had imagined it would be when, a few weeks ago, she'd desperately longed for said peace and quiet.

After her breakfast date with Sophie, she'd planned on tackling the overgrown front garden. The foliage was getting out of hand and she swore one of the vines growing on the gate had tripped her up on purpose yesterday. Time to get a machete and hack some respect back into those plants. 

Maybe when she was finished she could settle down in the back garden with a book and some tea. She had bought a big hammock and a stand to hang it from. Yesterday her boys had set it up and confiscated the thing for the remainder of the evening. Today was her turn, she decided. Maybe she’d have some time left to relax, before she had to pick up Avery from school.

Next to her, Sophie took a sip of her decaf and cleared her throat.

‘So, how have you been holding up under all the hullabaloo? Must have been stressful when you had to go out?’

Ariel looked at her new friend and smiled.

‘It was scary going out at first. I expected to be hounded by the paps or to be recognized at Avery’s school, but because I donned my disguise of posh mum, dressed to the nines, pinning my hair up and forgoing my glasses for contacts, it’s been quite easy, going undetected. That’s why I’m back into glasses, pigtails, shorts and t-shirt for our breakfast today, so Posh Mum won’t be linked to Regent’s Park’s Shouting Lady. If they see me with you when I’m all dolled up, I won’t be able to enjoy the relative anonymity I have now, for much longer. And I have to protect my children from those vultures, you know… Can you imagine them rounding up on my kids?’ She shivered in disgust and took a bite of her pastry to distract herself from her gloomy thoughts. 

Her eyes went wide. ’Ooh, you were right! These are very good!’   
  
Sophie snickered, ‘Regent’s Park’s Shouting Lady, come see her when she’s angry, she’s here every Wednesday and twice on Friday!’ she said in a stage whisper, following it up with the sound of a crowd going wild.

Ariel couldn’t help herself and a loud laugh escaped her, drawing the attention of a few of the customers. Quickly she ducked her head, hoping to not be recognized, but the damage had been done. A couple of people kept staring at her and she heard loud whispers coming from the front of the cafe.  


She swung her downturned head to the side and looked at the posh women sitting next to the windows. When she met their eyes they quickly looked away and continued talking amongst themselves; occasionally throwing a glance her way.

‘Shit shit shit shit.’ She whispered softly to herself, turning back to Sophie, who soothingly rubbed her lower arm.

‘It’s okay, Ari. Just stay calm and finish your coffee. Then we’ll stand together and slowly head for the exit. Never show the beasts you’re afraid or they’ll tear you apart. First rule of survival in the wild.’

Ariel’s eyes found Sophie’s and despite the stress she felt, she chuckled a little at her friend’s commentary. 

Slowly she sipped her coffee and tried to project a calm outward appearance. On the inside she felt jittery and she could see Sophie wasn’t as calm as she wanted to be, either, a slight sheen of sweat appearing on her upper lip. 

Over the next couple of minutes the whispers died down, but then the phones came out, people not even trying to be discreet about it. Snaps and clicks were heard all through the cafe.

Sophie put down the coffee cup, nudged her arm and started to slide out of her seat, ‘Oops, time to go,’ she whispered.

Ariel followed her example and stood up.

‘ _Stay calm, stay calm, stay calm._ ’ She breathed to herself.

As she was the one closest to the exit, she took up the front of their small procession, Sophie following closely behind her, taking sunglasses from her purse and sliding them onto her nose. 

Ariel reached back and grabbed Sophie’s hand, both for assurance and to not lose her in the throng of people.

She kept her head down and attempted to reach the door with minimal fuss. Heart thundering in her ears.

Most people made room for them to pass, keeping quiet, but when they were only a few feet from the door, her way out was blocked by a large man. Thinking that he had nowhere to go and was not intently barring her way out of the cafe, she tried to step around him, only to be blocked again, the man mirroring her steps.

She looked up with a lot of apprehension, eyes not traveling further up than his suit clad chest.

‘Excuse me.’ She said politely and tried to sidestep the man for a second time. Again he blocked her.

Now she looked up into his eyes, which were surrounded by a pudgy, sweating face. He looked at her with a triumphant sort of self-righteousness burning in the blue orbs.

‘Sorry, sir, could you please let us pass, my friend and I want to go.’ She tried again.

The man laughed tauntingly.

‘Or you’ll do what? Shout at me about what a bad boy I am? That I should be ashamed of myself?’ That drew a few snickers and whoops from the crowd, which seemed to give the man more confidence in his bullying. He licked his lips and smiled triumphantly at her.

This dude _really_ has some fame-whore problems, Ariel thought as she watched him bask in the attention of the crowd. 

Sophie stepped out from behind her and politely said,

‘We just came here to have some breakfast, we’re not looking for any trouble. Will you please step aside, sir, we’d like to leave.’ 

Instead of bowing out, the man -completely ignoring Sophie- stepped way too close for comfort, straight into Ariel’s space, towering over her petite frame. Grabbing her arm in a painful grip, assured in the largeness of his own frame, knowing she couldn’t do anything to stop him, he stooped down, pulling her up on her toes, manhandling her until his face was close to hers. Her shoulder joint felt like it was on fire and her arm felt like it was close to being ripped from the socket.

‘No! You think you’re so smart and witty. Well, try to make me step aside and you’ll have something coming, you dumb cow! Somebody should teach you a lesson!’ He shook her to emphasize his words.

Defiantly Ariel looked up at the man, straining her neck; her brain feeling rattled from the abuse. She shouldn’t show fear. That could escalate the situation, she thought.

Roughly she jerked her arm from the man’s grip, surprising him with the sudden display of power, and she winced internally at the burn of bruises forming. She tried to keep the panic, that was close to bubbling over, at bay.

Her fight or flight response was close to being triggered; she was breathing fast and the world felt like it was closing in on her. She fought to keep her wits about her and was determined to stand her ground. She couldn’t, wouldn’t, flee and let them, him, win. She’d always been that way; refusing to give in to anyone who thought she would be easy to intimidate, just because she was of short stature, looking cute and cuddly like a little Betty Boop doll.

‘I’m so very sorry that you are so lonely and pathetic that you feel you need to bully and abuse women to get attention or to feel validated. I don’t know what happened to you, but I assure you, this behavior you are displaying right now is disgusting. 

You know you are being filmed now, right? Everything you just did will be seen by thousands of people. Just look around at all the people filming this. The whole world will see what kind of man you are. I’d recommend you to adjust your view on life and to better learn what is acceptable in inter human relations, because, dude! You. are. freaking. lost. Thinking that you can treat women like this. Sad little man that you are. I pity you…’

All this was said in a powerful, far reaching voice, displaying a calm she didn’t feel. Her knees were trembling and she couldn’t believe that she’d just verbally tried to strip this man of all his bravado. She was trying to out-bluff him and hoped that it'd work and not backfire.

She saw the man's beady eyes grow larger and confusion took the place of the taunting expression on his face, while she spoke. He looked from her to the crowd, seeing people with their phones out, filming the whole ordeal. 

He seemed to deflate when he heard a few cheers from the crowd that were obviously meant for her.

‘What… I… How… Why… I didn’t…’ He bumbled his words. His gaze flying from her face, to the crowd, and back again, sweat glistening on his forehead. 

Ariel took a deep breath and put her face even closer to his, narrowing her eyes.

‘I. don’t. like. bullies. Now, MOVE!’

The man snapped back up to standing straight and involuntarily took a step back, obviously surprised by the menace she suddenly radiated.

She let go of a breath she hadn’t been aware she was holding and smiled a sarcastically sweet smile at him; it was almost just a baring of the teeth. A strange jittery giddiness spread through her body in swift tremors. No doubt due to an enormous amount of adrenaline flowing through her system.

‘Thank you.’ she curtly said, voice deceptively light.

As she walked the last few paces to the door, Sophie still clutching her hand, only more tightly now, she glanced at the women sitting there and, still feeling giddy and panic-y from the confrontation, let loose some verbal diarrhea. She just couldn’t seem to help herself. 

‘Ladies, if you would be so kind to, in the future, leave the four-wheel-drive prams outside and just hold your baby in your lap when you have breakfast, it would improve the over-all experience of the other customers drastically, not having to concours-hippique their way to the counter and back.’

Taking a step towards the door she snapped her fingers as if she was forgetting something, turned back to them and said, ‘Oh, yes, and never ever let your man bully you into acquiescence, because that doesn’t make the world, or your marriage, a better place, in any universe. No amount of money is ever worth your self respect. Cheers!’

She turned to one of the flabbergasted servers, who was standing next to a half cleaned table, the cleaning rag still hanging from his hand, and said, ‘Those pastries really are to die for! Yum!’ She threw him a small smile and proceeded to the door.

With a jovial wave she pulled the door open and stepped into the sunlight, a suddenly hysterically laughing Sophie in her wake, gasping to catch her breath. Ariel turned around to her friend and questioningly raised both eyebrows, afraid Sophie had lost it.

‘Oh god, that was so scary, but you, you lovely, stupidly brave woman, you! And then him and then you and his face. He was so scary. I was so scared. And you don’t like bullies and your shirt and oh my god and the prams and pastries and your shirt, oh my god, your shirt and you don’t like bullies and think of all the memes and concours-hippique oh god I think I’m gonna pee my trousers…’

Hurriedly Ariel pulled Sophie across the road toward her street. She needed to get her indoors, out of sight of the cafe and maybe some tea would help against the laughter and the incomprehensible babbling. And she herself also needed a bit of strengthening tea, she was only just holding on to her self-control, hanging on by a thread. Her right arm and shoulder were stinging and burning badly. A headache was forming between her eyes.

‘Come on, Soph, up the steps you go.’ She said when they reached a large, mansion-like house. 

They climbed the steps to the front door and Sophie managed to open it without too much fumbling. She was shaking a bit and in between laughing and gasping, she had giggling fits.

Ariel led her to the table in the kitchen and set her down on a chair, before she put on the kettle, leaving the water to boil while she grabbed a couple of mugs from the dish washer, and picked up the box with tea bags from the counter. It helped her to calm down a bit, taking charge and going through the motions of making tea. She didn’t know where everything was, but Sophie pointed it all out to her, from her seat at the table, still giggling every ten seconds or so.

The water boiled and Ariel fixed their teas, setting one down in front of Sophie and then settling her bum into the chair next to her friend, blowing on the hot beverage in her mug, trying to keep her hands from shaking too much.

She blew out a large breath and her eyes found Sophie’s. They were both a bit shell-shocked it seemed.

‘What was that all about? Your babbling? I didn’t understand a thing you were saying.’ she asked.

Sophie snickered again.

‘It’s just, tiny you, standing up to a big fat bully and then just undermine his whole tirade and then declaring you don’t like bullies. It was such a surreal and deja vu like experience. I mean, look at your shirt. Tiny you, bully, standing up to him, don’t like bullies. And then that shirt. At that stressful moment it was hilarious to me… Still is, now I think of it, actually.’ 

Ariel looked down at aforementioned shirt. Then back at Sophie, eyes wide.

‘Oh,’ She said in a small voice. 'Shit.'  


‘Just think of the memes that will be created,’ Sophie giggled.

  
They both looked down again at the dark blue t-shirt with the print of Captain America’s shield stretched across Ariel’s chest and back at each other again. Suddenly they both burst out laughing. They got into a hysterical laughing fit and they didn't seem to be able to shake it.

Now that she was letting go of the vice-like grip she had on her emotions, Ariel could feel her body starting to shake and shiver, getting hot and cold and hot again, and suddenly she was crying, a lot, and then crying even harder, gasping for breath and retching, feeling completely out of control; all the stress of the past hours and weeks and months and years catching up to her. 

She’d thought that she’d been okay, keeping it all together nicely, even after Brian died, keeping busy, always looking forward; but apparently today was the straw that broke the camel’s back and she broke down, spectacularly.

At first Sophie thought her friend was just reacting to the stressful morning at the cafe, but then she kept spiraling down, crying in desperation and starting to almost hyperventilate and when the retching started, Sophie sobered up. She had to hurry Ariel to the toilet, where the woman vomited violently. 

Sophie decided that this was something more serious than having a reaction to a scary morning and fished the mobile phone out of Ariel’s back pocket with her right hand, while holding Ariel’s hair back from her face with her left.

Quickly she dialed Ben’s number. 

He was having breakfast with a good friend who had returned from filming in Mallorca only yesterday evening. There was some continuity problem and filming had been delayed for a few days, so Ben’s friend had flown back to London to catch up with his family and friends and get some well-deserved rest. He’d been filming movies back to back in the past eighteen months and had needed the break.

It took a few tries to get a hold of Ben, not because he didn’t know this number -she knew he’d entered Ariel’s number into his phone last Sunday night-, but because he always put his phone on silent when he was in a restaurant.

Finally he picked up.

‘Ari, is something wrong with Sophie?’ His voice sounded harried.

‘Ben, it’s me, Sophie, I’m okay. Something’s wrong with Ari. She won’t stop crying and she’s shaking and vomiting. We’re at our place, can you please come home?’

In the background she heard a low melodic voice ask if everything was okay. Ben answered and she heard a bit of mumbling. Apparently Ben had covered the phone with his hand.

After a few moments he was back.

‘We’re on our way, love, hang on. Be home in a few.’ And he rang off.

Sophie put the phone on the wash basin and rubbed Ariel’s back. She was sobbing into the toilet, occasionally retching, but not vomiting anymore. Violent shivers still going through her body.

Pulling her pregnant body up by the door handle, to a standing position, Sophie bent over and helped Ariel to her feet.

‘Come on, love, let’s get you some water and then set you down on the sofa, with a blanket.’

Ariel let out a quivering sigh and let Sophie guide her to the sink in the kitchen, where she rinsed her mouth and drank a handful of sips of water. Tears were still sporadically rolling down her face and she was hiccuping. She felt like her world had shrunk down to just her little bubble and everywhere else was hazy. Her body was still violently shivering and her legs could only just hold her up. 

Sophie wetted a tea towel under the tap and washed Ariel’s face, being careful of her glasses. The cool cloth felt heavenly on her burning cheeks.

Meekly she followed Sophie into the hallway and then into a cosy sitting room with a large, comfy-looking, grey sofa, covered with lots of fluffy pillows.

She let Sophie push her down on the cushions, toed off her sneakers and sank back into the pillows, dragging her feet onto the sofa, pulling up her knees and hugging them with her arms.

Sophie was laying a blanket around her shoulders, wrapping it all the way around her, when the sound of keys in the front door pulled her attention toward the hallway. She could hear the subdued voices of two men coming closer and then one of them called out to Sophie.

Her friend squeezed her shoulder -the good one, thankfully- in support and walked out of the sitting room.


	7. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh, look, there's Tom...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still don't own a thing.
> 
> I make no money with this.
> 
> Don't mind me, just playing in the sandbox...

**Chapter 6**

 

Sophie looked up from where she was tucking a blanket around her friend and swiftly made her way to the hallway where she could hear her husband call out to her.

She rushed into his arms and hugged him fiercely, completely ignoring the other tall man standing in her hallway, until he demonstratively cleared his throat.

She turned in her husband’s arms and smiled at their guest, who was wearing his signature dark blue dress slacks and a crisp white button up shirt with the top buttons open and the sleeves rolled up over his elbows.

‘Hello, Tom. How was Mallorca?’

Tom grinned at her, but she could see it didn’t reach his eyes. His usually cheery countenance fell flat, his eyes sombre. Something was not right there. Something to be pried from him at a later and more convenient time, she thought. He looked away from her when she stared at him for a bit too long, clearly trying to hide his dejected mood from her searching eyes. He cleared his throat.

‘Mallorca was… Interesting. Now, how about a hug, you lovely pregnant lady?’ He stepped up to her, opening his arms wide, and she was enveloped in a great, big, warm hug, Tom being very careful to avoid crushing her tummy. He always gave the greatest hugs -apart from her husband of course- throwing in his whole body, making you feel cherished and safe.

When she was let go again, she turned back to Ben who gave her a concerned frown, wordlessly enquiring about Ariel.

‘She’s on the sofa in the sitting room; she’s calmed down a bit. I don’t know what happened, one moment we were laughing about what happened this morning, trying to alleviate some of the stress, the next moment she was breaking down.’ She said quietly, trying to keep Ariel from hearing them talk about her.

She led them into the kitchen, picking up the mugs from the dining table, pouring the lukewarm tea into the sink and then refilling the kettle to boil some more water for tea. She could really use some by now, not having been able to drink the last one.

Ben looked sharply at his wife.

‘What do you mean, ‘laughing about what happened this morning’? What happened this morning? Soph?’ He asked, alarmed.

‘Some big scary man tried to rile Ariel up and ‘teach her a lesson’ as he put it. He probably saw the video from Sunday and decided to try for his five minutes of fame, or something. You should have seen it, he was at least triple her size. I was so scared, but she didn’t give him an inch. I tell you, that woman has no self-preservation.’ She shivered, thinking back to it.

‘He manhandled her and was pretty rough with her physically, picking her up as if she was a rag doll before we could get away; but she kept her calm.  She then somehow got herself released from his grip and verbally dressed him down. Completely obliterating his credibility and using her wit and her way with words to get us out of the cafe in one piece, at the end she even tried to deflate the tension with some humorous remarks. It was so scary, Ben, not being able to leave when we wanted to.’ Sophie shuddered at the memory and Ben pulled her into his arms.

Ben was very, very tense. She could feel it in the way his arms were wrapped tightly around her. She knew he blamed himself for all that had happened to her after their marriage. He thought that if he had handled the pr-side of their relationship differently, the public would not be so averse to her. Sophie didn’t think it was that easy or that simple. He was an actor with a fanbase that was growing more and more ferocious about ‘their’ man, as they would call him. As time progressed, they became more and more vicious in their online attacks on her. Social media being a perfect outlet for their venomous judgments of their relationship. 

She didn’t think anything would have prevented this from happening, not even a well thought out pr-campaign.

She stepped out of Ben’s arms and opened up her laptop that was on the breakfast bar, which extended from the kitchen island, 

‘It’s probably already online, I’ll google it.’

She took a seat on one of the barstools that stood at the kitchen’s breakfast bar and Ben followed her example, sitting down next to her. Tom remained standing behind them, arms crossed in front of his chest, looking a bit apprehensive. 

Sophie knew he thought they’d pulled Ari into their small social circle too soon after meeting her, not knowing enough about her and her background to build even a semblance of trust, but she also knew that when he met her, he would understand their out of character actions toward the woman. 

If he was still guarded and stand offish toward the woman after meeting her, she’d show him the video of Ari defending them at Regent’s Park. No one was that good an actor, or actress in this case, that they could feign so much heartfelt sincerity. Ben and Tom both being the great actors that they were, would see straight through a ruse of some kind or another.

It didn’t take her much effort to search YouTube and find a relatively decent video of the event from that morning and she turned the laptop so Ben and Tom could see.

She clicked the thumbnail and enlarged the screen.

**“ _Buxom Brownie channels Captain America”_ ** It said in big, bold letters.

‘Buxom Brownie?’ A hoarse voice uttered the flabbergasted words from behind them. ‘Why would someone call me a curvy piece of cake?’

All three of them turned around as one to see a disheveled, blanket wrapped woman standing close behind them, peering at the laptop screen.

In spite of everything, Sophie chuckled.

‘You got lost in translation just now, Ari. A brownie is also another word for a small gnome, goblin or pixie. They are known to inhabit houses and secretly help out with household chores, sometimes even caring for children that wake in the night. Brownies are protective creatures and they become attached to the families they care for. Usually they are good natured, but Brownies do not like any kind of meanness, lying or sneaking. If they take offence or feel threatened, you better hide, because they’ll come for you.’

Even though she still felt a lot shaky from her break down, Ariel snickered.

‘A fat gnome… How flattering…’ she deadpanned. 

The tall man she’d only registered fleetingly when entering the kitchen, stepped into her line of sight, hand stretched out toward her. 

She recognised him instantly, how could she not, being the Marvel fan that she was, both of the comics and the MCU. Standing in front of her was the actor who played Loki in the Thor and Avenger movies.

She was a bit taken aback by his forwardness and she looked up at him with a guarded expression, taking a small step back, feeling a bit subdued by the quiet confidence he exuded.

The look in his eyes was aloof and she had a feeling she was being measured, stern blue eyes appraising her outward appearance. She wasn’t sure why, though. 

Mentally trying to shrug it off, deciding she’d had enough drama for today, she accepted his hand and reciprocated the firm handshake. Strong hands, she thought, next to being also freakishly tall.

‘Hello, my name is Tom Hiddleston. And you are… Ari?’ Shaking her hand he gazed down at her inquiringly, eyes glinting, like hard, cold ice.

‘Hi, Tom, yes, well, it’s Ariel, actually. Ariel Dekker. Sophie and Ben shortened it to Ari.’ She answered, letting go of his hand and gesturing nervously to her friends, trying to hide how uncomfortable she felt. 

Ben and Sophie seemed to be engrossed by their exchange, alternately watching Tom and her, like watching two tennis players hit a ball back and forth. It wasn’t an everyday occurrence that Ben’s best friend and Sophie’s new friend met for the first time.

‘Ariel, as in the sprite from The Tempest?’ Tom inquired, a glint of something akin to interest budding in his eyes, his voice warming up a fraction.

Ariel looked up at him in surprise and a genuine smile lit up her face, transforming it completely from sad and tired to happy and glowing.

‘Yes, it is! Wow! You have no idea how many times people just assumed I was named after Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’. Ever since it came out in 1989, no-one even thought twice about the fact that it came out _years_ after I was born. 

Utterly annoying, really, to be reduced to being the namesake of a pining teenage half-fish with daddy issues, instead of being associated with an awesome, sharp-witted shakespearian spirit.

My mum is a a researcher and lecturer in English Literature at uni and she’s always loved Shakespeare. So it came as no surprise to anyone that she named her children after Shakespearian characters. My brothers drew the short straw in the Shakespeare Name Lottery, their names are Balthasar and Lysander, but we just call them Barry and Sander for short…

I’m so happy to finally meet someone who is not an illiterate ruffian who thinks I’m named after a fish!  One can only suffer so many troglodytes before being seriously temped to take a blunt object to…’ Her eyes widened.

‘Oh, shit, I’m rambling, I’m sorry. I always ramble when I’m nervous or stressed, and you make me nervous…’ Trailing off, she realised something, interrupting Tom when his eyebrows moved up a bit and he tried to get a word in. ’Oh, no, nonono, not because you’re a famous actor or anything... You just made me feel like I was being weighed and was found wanting… So, that’s why...' She frowned when she recounted in her head what she'd just said.  'Oh, fuck, I’m still rambling… And cussing... Yeah, I do that sometimes... So sorry… Sorry. I just… It’s been a long morning. Lots of stress and lots of… Yeah, sorry. Go ahead.’ Taking a deep breath to centre herself, she looked apologetically up at Tom.

Tom seemed speechless for a moment, gazing down at her with an unreadable expression on his face.

Then, just when Ariel thought she’d die from embarrassment, a red blush creeping up her face, his mouth quirked up a bit and his eyes crinkled in amusement. It was a minute difference, but to Ariel it was the difference between day and night. Apparently she had been able to divert a negative judgment, for now. She let go of the breath she’d been subconsciously holding.

He looked up at Ben and Sophie, who seemed to be transfixed by the exchange, and then back at Ariel.

‘It’s nice to meet you, Ariel.’ he said, his voice a bit friendlier than it had been, the edge that was to it, only minutes before, now almost gone. 

She still felt a bit apprehensive though, like she was missing something in his acceptance of her acquaintance. 

Ben snapped out of the spell that had kept him and Sophie silent and observing of Tom and Ariel.

‘Well, if you two dilettantes are done bumbling through your introductions, I’d like to get back to the task at hand. We were about to watch what happened this morning, remember?’

Tom stepped aside and motioned for Ariel to walk to where Sophie and Ben were sitting at the bar, following her so closely, she could feel his body heat radiate on her back. It made the hairs on her neck stand up and she barely suppressed a shiver. What the hell? Was he intentionally trying to intimidate her?

Ariel quickly stepped forward, gave Ben a short hug in greeting and cleared her throat.

‘I’m so sorry that you had to cut your breakfast short because of me. Please, let me make it up to you by making you all lunch later on. I don’t know what happened, one moment I was fine, and the next…’ She made a helpless motion with her hand.

Ben held up his hand to stop her from explaining more.

‘Ariel, it’s okay, we’re just glad you’re both alright. Though I won’t say no to an early lunch.’ He smiled.

Ariel nodded and sighed.

‘Alright then, let’s see me make a fool out of myself… again. You know, you two are a bad influence on me, I never was this confrontational before I met you.’ She said to her friends, a slight teasing smile around her lips, missing the sharp glance Tom sent her way. 

’Well, go on, play the video, Soph.’ Ben said.

They all turned to the laptop and Sophie started the video. It was a bit shaky, but the sound was clear and the quality of the image was good.


	8. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone is being a bit of an arse... Or, maybe, more than a bit...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing is owned. No money made.
> 
> Sandbox, here I come! :)

**Chapter 7**

 

Ariel couldn’t stifle the gasp that escaped her when she saw how the man in the video grabbed her and dragged her around like a rag doll. It looked so much worse from the outside than what she had experienced in the moment it happened. She looked tiny, compared to him. He could have hurt her, badly. It only now sunk in that she had escaped a very dangerous situation relatively unscathed. 

From behind her she heard a shocked intake of breath and then a small huff. When she risked a quick glance backward she saw Tom’s countenance had changed and his posture had become rigid. She could feel him move closer, hovering closely behind and slightly over her, subconsciously boxing her in while he watched the video. At least, it didn’t feel like it was a conscious action on his part. 

It did make her feel a bit uncomfortable, but she didn’t want to make a scene in Sophie and Ben’s kitchen by demanding the man take a step back. It was one thing confronting strangers, but a good friend of her new friends? That was just not done, in her book.

She looked at Ben’s face while he watched the altercation. His expression was one of barely suppressed repulsion and outrage and he kept running his hands through his hair in agitation, almost unable to keep still on the stool.

Where Tom had stilled and become quiet and menacing behind her, Ben became jittery and a flurry of movement, unable to contain his feelings of powerlessness and anger while watching what had happened to the women not two hours before.

They watched as Ariel painfully wrenched her arm out of the man’s grip and proceeded to defend herself verbally. Sophie looked back at her, inquiring after her shoulder with a small wave of her hand. Ariel grimaced lightly at her when she shrugged, indicating with a nod that it still hurt, but that it wasn’t a life threatening injury. 

An approving huff escaped Tom when she succeeded to make the man step back with just her body language and the power of her voice. 

And in spite of the gravity of the situation, both men chuckled when she stated she didn’t like bullies, her Captain America shirt clearly visible.

The rest of the video was just her joking around, subconsciously trying to alleviate the tension in the small cafe. It was her defence-mechanism, trying to neutralise a stressful and potentially explosive situation with a sense of humor. 

She never realised this about herself, but it was now blatantly obvious to her and it was displayed all over the internet, going viral as they watched. The video had amassed over thirty-three thousand views in only forty-eight minutes. And she was sure this wasn’t the only video on there.

‘Oh god, this is just getting worse and worse.’ she lamented in a small voice. ‘Look at all those views.’

She rubbed her face with her hands, pushing her glasses up into her hair.

When she realised that the video didn’t stop immediately after their departure from the cafe, she put her glasses back on and watched in horror when the man that had attacked her came to his senses and started to hurl abuse at the onlookers, raging on about women that should know their place.

His last, hateful and threatening words before the video cut out caused a chill to run up her spine.

‘She will get hers, mark my words. Someday someone will take her down a peg.’

A small involuntary sob escaped her and she pulled the blanket that had shifted down her shoulders, more tightly around her frame. In spite of it being a warm day, an iciness had settled into her bones.

Sophie scrolled down to the comments section and skimmed through the contents.

‘It’s not as bad as you might think. Most comments are positive and people are showing their support for you and they talk about admiring you for standing up to that bully. Some are sharing their stories of being survivors of assault and others urge you to go to the police and file a report. Almost everyone is outraged at his treatment of you.  Of course there are the occasional misogynistic comments, but that is to be expected. You’ve got assholes everywhere and even more so on the internet, where they can spew their views anonymously. 

Oh, and there are already links posted to Captain America memes. Boy, they do work fast on the internet.’ Sophie joked.

An exasperated sigh escaped Ben as he got up from the stool, pacing up and down the kitchen to alleviate some of the pent up anger, no doubt.

‘How can you joke about this, Soph?’ He asked irritably, ‘Don’t you see how dangerous this situation was? You both could have been hurt, or worse. Did you notice all those knives lying around on the tables? He could have stabbed Ariel! He could have stabbed you!’ His voice cracked.

The thought of something bad happening to Sophie and their baby, visibly sent his brain into overdrive, playing out all the possible disastrous outcomes in his head, his face contorting into an expression of despair. 

He ran his hands through his hair a few times while pacing before grabbing his wife and pulling her into a bone crushing hug, breathing fast and shallowly.

Sophie seemed taken aback at first, but after a few seconds hugged him back tightly and made soothing nonsensical sounds, as she tried to calm him down a bit.

A soft touch on her back made Ariel turn around and look inquiringly up at Tom.

‘Let’s give them a moment, shall we?’ Tom said, nodding at the embracing couple.

She inclined her head and followed him out of the kitchen and into the sitting room.

He sat down on the sofa, stretching his long legs out in front of him, but Ariel lingered uncertainly just inside the sitting room doorway.

Tom turned around, looking at her with his right eyebrow slightly raised, an amused expression on his face.

‘Well, come on then, better make yourself comfortable. Knowing Ben and Sophie, it could be awhile before they work things out in there.’ He gestured to the wall that divided the kitchen from the sitting room.

Reluctantly Ariel walked around the sofa and sat down in the corner opposite to the one Tom was sitting in. She set her socked feet onto the seat cushions, pulling her knees up to her chest and re-wrapped the blanket around herself, putting her arms lightly around her knees, creating a safe bubble around her.

Feeling increasingly uncomfortable under Tom’s gaze -his eyes were studying her intently-, she stared down at her hands and started to pick at a loose thread in the blanket.

‘What?’ She asked defensively, still looking down at the long thread that she was unraveling from the blanket. A long stretch of the cloth was now uneven. It was not all her doing, but she really should stop picking, otherwise the lovely piece of woven wool would be ruined. 

Sighing, she neatly started to thread the loose yarn back into the proper loops of the blanket, her delicate, dexterous fingers pulling the other yarn in the right shape as she went, tying the thread into a small knot to keep it in place and then smoothing all the treads around it out into an evenly paced pattern. There, as good as new. 

It had taken her less than a minute to fix the damage and when she looked up at Tom, realising he hadn’t answered her, his astonished gaze was locked on where her hands were still fiddling with the blanket a bit. 

‘Ariel Dekker, may I ask you something?’ He inquired, eyes still set upon the cleverly repaired blanket.

‘Ummm, sure.’ She started to scan the blanket for other irregularities and loose threads, just so she didn’t have to look up into the watchful crystal blue eyes of this very observant man. She had to admit he unnerved her, a lot. She hadn’t been thrown this off-kilter by a person in years and she didn’t like the feeling.

Finding another piece of yarn that needed to be woven back into the blanket, she set to work, waiting for Tom to formulate his question.

‘Did you know who Sophie was before you met her?’

Ariel looked up, straight into his eyes, fingers stalling on the blanket. _Argh, those eyes, they're so intense..._  she thought. 

She drew her eyebrows together in confusion, not really sure where he was going with this.

‘No, why?’

‘Well, you have to admit it’s suspicious that you managed to worm your way into my friends’ lives so bloody fast that it almost gave me a whiplash.’ His tone was harsh now.

She couldn’t believe her ears. Gone was friendly Tom and in it’s place was a grim and severe man with cold, hard eyes.

‘Sorry, what? What are you insinuating? That I planted myself at Regent’s Park deliberately to get close to Sophie and Ben?’

‘Well, it wouldn’t be the first time a thing like that happened.’ His mouth pulled down a bit at the corners.

‘Look, I understand you are trying to protect your friends, and, as an extension, yourself, but I am not looking for any kind of fame or recognition, and I’m not a leech trying to get to anyone’s money. I’m not like that.

Sophie approached me at the park because she was tired and needed to sit down and we started talking. There just was this click between us and we both felt it. I guess we were both a bit lonely and looking for a friend. She because she lost a lot of hers, and me because I’m new to London. I only just moved here.’

Tom scoffed, clearly not inclined to believe her.

‘You say that now, but how do I know you’re telling the truth? It comes across as a bit too convenient that you meet Sophie in your first days of being in London and then steamroll your way into her good graces and into Ben’s life _and_ into their home. Which is almost sacred to them, by the way.  A week ago they didn’t even know who you were. Hell, I even didn’t know about you until this morning, when Ben started praising your great deeds.   He seems quite enamoured with you, almost smitten. But you do realise Sophie is pregnant, right? You’ll never pry him away from her. He loves her and the baby.’

Ariel gasped for air in righteous indignation. Her eyes wide in disbelief.

‘Wh.. What?’ She stammered, his tirade leaving her speechless, and a cold, heavy weight settling in her stomach.

‘You heard me. I didn’t believe your innocent guise for a minute. No matter how good an actress you are, I see right through you.’

This wasn’t really happening. It had to be a bad dream; she’d wake up any minute… Any minute now. How anyone could be this hurtful and unkind to another person without any provocation or foundation, was beyond her. 

‘You see right through me.’ She deadpanned sarcastically, in a flat tone, driving back her shocked tears and starting to get very, very annoyed. ‘Well, why don’t you tell me what you _really_ think.’

‘I _think_ you should go now. Just go quietly and don’t come back. You need to leave Ben and Sophie be. Just leave them alone, they don’t need any more stress in their lives.’ Tom said, apparently thinking her sarcastic jest was an admittance of guilt.

In that moment Ariel realised something. Tom was defending his friends, yes, but there was something more; an edge to his words and a tone that hinted at, well, something more personal. Raising two teenage boys taught a mother to read between the lines, to hear what wasn’t said. And here, there was something that wasn’t said, buried deep under his obvious, unfounded, disdain for her.

It made her feel slightly better, but it didn’t mean that she wasn’t angry and that she wasn’t hurt by his blatant dismissal of her.

‘No, no, I want to know what you see when you look at me. You say you see right through me. Well, tell me, I want to know what you _think_ you know about _me_.’ Ariel stood up from the sofa and bared her teeth in provocation.

Tom shot to his feet and scowled down at her, his eyes flashing in anger.

‘Don’t challenge me, little girl, you don’t want me against you.’

She couldn’t help herself, laughing mockingly at his dramatic deliverance. This was getting absurd.

‘I just want to know _why_ you’re so set ‘against me’ as you put it…’

Her refusal to feel intimidated by him seemed to only infuriate him more, two pink spots appearing high on his cheekbones. 

‘Well, go on.’ She encouraged him mockingly, raising an eyebrow.

Tom growled, yes, literally growled, at her when he continued.

‘What I see is a twenty something uneducated tart, who likes to throw expensive words into her conversations. She’s adorned with this huge and tacky tattoo and she is trying to wiggle her way into a good marriage by blinking those big, sad, innocent eyes at my best friend, parading her shapely curves around his house in those shorts and that tight t-shirt. Maybe she’s aiming for a tumble in the sheets, maybe for a boost in her career or she’s aiming towards a big payday.  The result of her actions may not be clear yet, but I know her kind.  
She’s always had everyone wrapped around her little finger and has never had to work for anything in her life, has never known hardship, having all she ever wanted delivered to her on a silver platter, by gullible men.

I’ll admit, you can effectively bluff your way out of a tight situation, and make it look like a lucky move, but you’re not fooling me. There is a very crafty and intelligent mind at work inside that pretty little head of yours and you know exactly what you’re doing, manipulating everyone around you into believing you are this lonely little girl who is only looking for a friend.

I must say that the whole stammering nervous rant during our introduction was very expertly executed. Claiming that you and your brothers were named after shakespearian characters, saying people were thinking you were named after a Disney character and you being annoyed by that, was an exceptionally nice touch, implemented to warm me to you, no doubt.

And then that video. How much did you pay that man to attack you? Making it seem that you were protecting yourself and Sophie with your words and actions. It was almost like a perfectly performed audition. Just enough drama and fear to be believable.

Well, you’re not fooling me and I think you should go now. Leave, and don’t come back. As I said, I will not hesitate to make your life a living hell when that means I can protect my friends from you, you gold-digging trollop.’ 

He was panting by the time he was done monologuing, his face a mask of contempt. Eyes ablaze with fury. In that moment it was entirely clear to her why he had been cast as Loki. The intensity and magnificence with which he projected his disdain for her was impressive.

Ariel blinked. It was baffling to hear someone she didn’t know, and who didn’t know anything about her, presumptuously tear down her character, based on what they thought they knew.

It was also much more hurtful than she let on. She felt like crying, his words tearing at her heart, but she knew she needed to keep things together a little while longer. 

‘Really, that is what you think of me?’ She replied in a sceptical tone, a small tremor in her voice betraying the emotions swirling under the surface of her apparent calm. Keep it together, Ariel, keep it together.

He only nodded sharply. Apparently too upset with her to say anything without exploding into more insults.

‘well, I must say that your critical consideration of my age and my character is frightfully incorrect.’ 

He scoffed at her.

  
She threw him an irritated glance. Her patience with this asshole was wearing thin, fast. 

‘You really couldn’t have been more wrong.’ She assured him. I’m not in my twenties, though I do hear that a lot. I was born on January twenty-first, nineteen-seventy-nine. Which makes me well over thirty-six years old. I’m not an uneducated tart, as you so eloquently called me. In two thousand four, after five years at uni, I received my masters degrees in both Fine Art _and_ International Literature.  When I was in high school my IQ was determined to be at a hundred and forty six. Maybe not the highest IQ ever measured, but it’s not too shabby, I think. And you don’t think I’m dumb either, you said so yourself. Way to contradict yourself, man.

I’ve worked very hard to get my degrees and after that to get my business started. I’m an artist and illustrator, by the way.

Which brings me to  this tattoo. I think it is far from tacky. I designed it myself and it has won an international tattoo designers award for originality and for best use of colour.’

She held up her arm and indicated the three spirals that were woven into the imagery of the sleeve.

‘You see these? They represent my three children. I used the fibonacci spirals, because, even though they’re human and flawed, as we all are, to me they are perfection and they will have my love and support into infinity. And you see this one?’

She indicated the very last addition to the tattoo sleeve, a small abstract shell on her inner forearm.

‘This shell protects the love I still feel for my husband, who died from cancer almost two years ago and went where I couldn't follow. A fucking disease screwing up all of our lives. 

I’ve known more hardship than I hope you will ever see in your life. Do you know what it’s like to lose the love of your life? To lay awake at night, wondering how the fuck you’re going to be able to feed your children the next day? 

That’s one more point for me, motherfucker!’ She spat at him, now growing more and more emotional. 

‘Next up; I’ve never, ever had anything handed to me on a silver platter. When I was studying at university, I got pregnant by my then boyfriend, later my husband, who was nine years older than I was and already building his career in marketing. 

Three months after my nineteenth birthday our twins were born, eight weeks early. It took me over a year to recuperate from said birth and to get all the infant caring on track. 

After that year I went back to uni, making it work; studying, and feeding, and caring for, two infants simultaneously. The only advantage I had was that Brian, my husband, made enough money for us to just make ends meet. It took me five years, but eventually I, by myself, managed to finish my degrees. 

A year after finishing university, my daughter was born. So, this time, instead of studying while caring for infants, I was building my portfolio and subsequently my career and at the same time caring for two seven-year-olds and a baby.

And I see how Ben and Sophie look at each other and I know that what they have is precious. Something you might find only once in a lifetime; twice if you’re really lucky and sometimes people don't find it at all. I know, because I had that. Why would I ever want to break that up? 

I see them together and it makes me happy. It makes me remember what I felt for Brian, and even though it’s bitter sweet and sometimes it hurts, so, so much, I would never want to forget how he made me feel; or how we felt, together.’

Tears were now freely streaming down her cheeks, but she didn’t care anymore. She wasn’t done yet.

‘Which brings me to your next objection. I’m NOT a gold-digging trollop! I don’t need money, I’ve got money. More than I’ll ever need. You see this house? I can buy this house four times over, in cash, and still live out my life in lavish luxury, if I should wish it. Which I don’t. 

What’s your net worth? You’ve been in a couple of blockbuster films. If I had to guess, it would be what? Six, maybe seven million pounds? Well, wake-up call, mister, mine’s significantly higher. Mine’s even higher than yours and Ben’s combined. I don’t need your fucking money, I don’t want your fucking money! I bought a four reception room, four bedroom house, in London, in NW3, and I paid for it with my own money. In cash. No mortgage needed.’

‘And finally, I never paid that man to attack me! Are you mad? Look at what he did!’

She grabbed her T-shirt by the hem and with a herculean effort she managed to pull it up and over her head, her right arm and shoulder aching dreadfully. A soft pain induced whine was involuntarily ripped from her throat when she finally managed to get the shirt off.

Looking down at her upper arm she saw a big purple-black bruise in the form of a handprint, individual fingers clearly visible, folding all the way around her arm. More bruising went up to her shoulder, covering the joint and reaching almost up to her neck. She hadn’t realised the extent of the injury until now. Dropping the t-shirt she was holding in front of her torso, to the floor, she lifted her left hand to prod at the bruising and winced from the burning pain it caused.

‘Fuck.’ she muttered, inhaling a shuddering breath laced with remnants of her emotional explosion.

Only then did she notice that the complete silence in the room was broken by soft sobs, coming from behind her. 

She turned around slightly and saw Sophie and Ben, standing in the doorway. Both were pale as ghosts, Sophie trying to dry her tears and Ben not looking at her, but at Tom, his eyes blazing with anger.

‘Oh, Ari. I’m so sorry for your loss. All you’ve been through, it must have been hell.’ Sophie sniffled, walking into the sitting room, followed by Ben. They kept at a respectful distance, almost seeming to be afraid to approach her.

Ariel turned back to Tom, was looking at her in horror.

‘What happened?’ He whispered, an anguished expression on his face.

Ariel frowned.

‘I think I just told you what happened.’

‘No, I mean what happened to your tummy?’ He stretched out a hand as if he was trying to see if the jagged -and, if she was honest, horrific- scar, that bisected her soft tummy from her pubic bone up to her sternum, was really there.

‘Oh,’ Ariel said, carefully taking a step back, so he couldn’t touch her. She moved her right hand over the scar, covering it with spread fingers.

‘Well, that’s from when the doctors cut the babies from my body to save them, and me. I was suffering from acute, and very severe, pre-eclampsia and there was no time to lose. They had to open me up immediately, otherwise my boys would’ve died. And I probably wouldn’t be here anymore, either.’

Sophie had walked around her and gasped at the sight, lifting both her hands to her mouth in shock. ‘Oh my god,’ she whimpered and Ariel began to feel a little bit self-conscious, standing there in just her shorts and her bra, now that everything had calmed down. She bent to pick up her shirt and held it against her front, covering up a bit, cursing herself for being so dramatic that she just had to take her shirt off.

Tom now looked defeated and drawn; lines of stress standing out in his face. All fight and aggression had left his body.

‘I’m so, so sorry,’ he said, apologetically, running his hands through his hair in obvious distress, his eyes filled with something akin to pain.

Ariel wasn’t ready to forgive, didn’t know if she’d even be so inclined within the coming months, or years. She looked him straight in the eye, sternly.

‘Your words hurt me immensely, Tom. I don’t think I’m ready to hear an apology.’

Tom looked away in shame. Cheeks now flushed with embarrassment instead of anger.

Suddenly Ben stepped forward, situating himself between Ariel and Tom, body language aggressive. He grabbed Tom by the shirt and pulled him face to face. Tom flailed his arms, but did nothing to defend himself.

‘What was that shit you were pulling, man? Attacking _my_ guest in my own home! I may not have heard everything you said, but I heard enough. And I heard all of Ariel’s reply. What were you thinking? Did you even think about what you were saying to her? Such harmful words; words meant to inflict maximum damage.  It’s a good thing Sophie stopped me, because I would’ve decked you after what you just said.

My god, I’ve never heard you take down someone so viciously. That’s not who you are! Well, It’s not who you were; I feel like I don’t even know you now! What. is. wrong. with. you?!’ 

He pushed Tom away from himself and Tom stumbled backwards a bit from the impact, looking heartbroken. Tears on the verge of falling from his eyes. Ben had resumed his pacing, trying to control his breathing and rubbing his face.

Sophie was wringing her hands nervously, looking back and forth between the two friends. It was clear she didn’t know what to do with the situation and it was visibly upsetting her.

As quickly as she could under the circumstances, and with a soft grunt of pain, Ariel put her t-shirt back on and then laid a hand on her friend’s shoulder in silent support. Sophie patted her hand in grateful acceptance.

Apart from Ben’s frantic pacing, the room was eerily quiet, a dreary atmosphere falling like a veil over the room.

None of the occupants had anything left to say.


	9. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amends are being made... Somewhat?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing. But I do have this lovely smoothie on my desk right now.
> 
> Just playing around with a few characters :)

**Chapter 8**

 

As the silence stretched, Tom let out a hearty ‘Fuck!’, sitting back down on the sofa with a thud and covering his face with his hands, his elbows propped on his knees. ‘Shit shit shit shit shit. I fucked up.’ His voice came, muffled, from behind his hands.

‘Wow, you think so, huh?’ sarcasm was dripping from Ben’s voice.

Tom took his hands away from his face, drawing in a shuddering breath, and looked up at Ariel, who was standing next to the sofa with Sophie. He grabbed her left hand, seeking her attention.

Ariel tried to pull her hand out of his grip, but it was to no avail, he was holding on too tight. It wasn’t hurting her, but pull away, she could not.

‘Please, sit.’ He implored her.

‘Let go of me.’ She hissed. She was not even going to attempt politeness anymore. 

He released her hand. ‘Please.’ He said, keeping his hand outstretched in her direction, his expression pleading. 

She shook her head at him, face sad and eyes tired, and took a step back.

‘I’m done, Tom. My body hurts, my head hurts and my heart hurts. My body and my mind have gotten enough blows for one day. You have no idea, absolutely no fucking idea, about the scars you just ripped open with your callous words and your unfounded assumptions.

I’m not going to sit down, because I don’t want to. I don’t want to look at you, I don’t want to be in one room with you. Hell, seeing you never again after today will still be too soon. I’m going home, and I’m going to try to get a couple of hours of sleep before I have to go pick up my daughter from school.’

‘But… I just want…’

‘Do you really think, at this here moment, that I care what _you_ want, Tom?’ She looked him straight in the eye and let him see her hurt. It didn’t take long before he looked away, ashamed.

Dismissing him completely, Ariel turned her back to him and took Sophie’s hand.

‘Thanks for being here for me, Soph. You truly are a good friend.’ she said with a slight smile.

A sob escaped Sophie and she flung her arms around Ariel, being careful not to aggravate the other woman’s shoulder too much. 

‘I’m so sorry for what you went through, Ari.’ she said, ‘You’re so unbelievably strong and I can’t believe you survived so much and came out the other side still filled with so much kindness and compassion.’

An amused huff escaped Ariel.

‘I don’t think I’m feeling very compassionate right now, though, Soph.’ Hugging her back, she continued softly, so only Sophie could hear, ‘I just have to get out of here and get my head back on straight. It could take a couple of days before you hear from me. So don’t get all worried, okay?’

Sophie nodded and reluctantly let her go. Ariel slipped her sneakers back on and the two women walked to the front door together.

Ariel saw the worried look that Sophie gave her. ‘I’ll be okay, Sophie. Really, I will.’ She gave her an awkward side hug.

Sophie sighed deeply. 

‘It’s just, I don’t know what’s gotten into Tom. The way he behaved… It’s not like him to go off on someone like that, at all. He’s usually so easy-going... I’m not just worried for you, I’m worried for him too. And I’m so sad that you didn’t get to know him like we do.

I hope, one day, you can find it in your heart to forgive him for what he’s said. Although I won’t blame you if you don’t. His behaviour was appalling.’

‘Yes, it was. I know he’s Ben’s best friend, and I don’t want things to be awkward when he’s around, but it’s going to take time for me to forgive and forget.’

With that she pulled open the front door and stepped outside. 

Immediately there was a flurry of excitement at the end of the road, about thirty yards away. Paparazzo’s started snapping pictures, flashes were going off and questions were being shouted.

‘Aw fuck.’ Ariel exclaimed. She took a big leap back inside and slammed the door shut behind her. The shockwave of the heavy door falling closed reverberating through the hallway. This day was just getting better and better. 

‘Was that. A camera crew?’ Sophie asked, stunned, her eyes big.

‘Yup.’ Ariel looked up at her friend and let loose a soft ‘urgh’.

Ben walked into the hallway, looking inquisitive and a bit alarmed, the resonating slam of the front door having triggered his curiosity.

‘What happened?’

‘Press. Paps and a tv crew in the street.’ Sophie said by way of explanation.

‘Well, they do work fast, don’t they?’ Ben sighed defeatedly.

‘How am I going to get home now? I can’t just go out there and try to pass without being accosted.’ Ariel looked at the clock on the wall. It was just past noon. 

She had to be at Avery’s school by three. It wasn’t very likely that the press would leave before then.

‘I could try to take you home in our car, but we’d probably get chased and best case scenario is they find out where you live, worst case is I crash the car and we die.’ Ben said.

‘Yeah, let’s not do that then.’ Ariel replied in a snarky tone. ‘Can’t go down in history as the woman who killed Sherlock.’

‘No, that’s Moriarty’s prerogative.’ Ben said with a wink.

Ariel felt one of the corners of her mouth quirk up in humour at the jest, but it didn’t elicit anything more than that.

The pressure of the day was really getting to her. Humour was usually her coping mechanism. The fact that she was losing that part of her personality meant that she really was at the end of her wits.

‘Fuck fuck fuck fuck. Fucking press. Fucking YouTube. Fucking phones. Fucking men, thinking they can say and do anything to a woman without repercussions. Fuck fuck fuck. Shit.’ Ariel grumbled under her breath as she started pacing, hands on her hips. She’d had it with just about everything today. She was getting more agitated by the minute.

‘Ariel, I’m so sorry. I feel that it’s all our fault. If I hadn’t asked you if I could sit down on that bench, we’d never have met and you wouldn’t have had to deal with all this shit. I mean, we knew this all came with the territory when we started out in acting, we knew what we were getting into, but you just got dragged into our wake.’ Sophie wrung her hands and watched her friend pace around, nervously.

‘Oh no, no no no, don’t think that, Soph.’ Ariel came to a standstill in front of her. ‘I have a very big problem with holding my tongue when I’m provoked or if I feel threatened. If anything, it’s my own fault.’ She rubbed her friend’s upper arm in consolation. 

All this stress wasn’t good for Sophie or for the baby. She should be resting, instead of worrying about what the press was up to.

‘I just wish I knew what to do now.’ Ariel sighed. ‘Obviously just going home on foot isn’t an option and leaving by car may cause problems in equal amounts.

Ugh, I should have stayed in bed this morning. Any chance one of you has a time-turner?… I’d even settle for a flying hammer…’ She joked, trying to ease her own glum mood.

Ben chuckled.

A throat was cleared from the doorway to the sitting room. All three of them turned to see Tom standing there, hair disheveled and face a bit blotchy, looking part apologetic and part hopeful. He raised his hand.

‘I might be able to help, if you’ll allow me?’

Ariel swallowed down the bitter taste in her mouth. She was fighting the urge to dismiss anything he said and hoping that he would just _go away_... 

But what if he did know a way of how to help her?  Maybe he had an acceptable solution to her problem. It probably couldn’t hurt to hear him out. She was out of options and this was not the time to look a gift horse in the mouth.

If she wasn’t able to take the tube in two-and-a-half hours, she’d be too late to pick up Avery and she didn’t want to disrupt her sons’ plans with the request for one of them to pick up their sister, unless it was absolutely necessary.

‘How much time is this help of yours going to take?’ She asked a bit sourly, doubtful about how useful he could be in this situation.

Apparently he had been very unsure of her acceptance of his offer to help, because for a fraction of a second a perplexed expression flitted over his face, before it was replaced by a grateful and hopeful half smile. 

His eyes seemed to come to life, a light ignited in them and they sparkled with relief and a bit of mischief as he stepped towards her and took her hands in his. He stooped over a bit and looked her in the eyes. 

Ariel had to fight to not take a step back, or ten. She tried to discretely pull her hands out of his grip, but he held on. A shiver of unease travelled down her spine. She had heard of actors being touchy feely, but this behaviour of his just rubbed her the wrong way.

‘Don’t worry about a thing. Just let me help. I’ll take care of everything, okay?’ He said as he softly squeezed her hands, his eyes radiating warmth and cordiality. 

  
Ariel looked up at him in disbelief, eyes narrowed, trying to read his expression for any residual animosity. There was none, and she was astonished by the fact that she actually, grudgingly, believed him. She just couldn’t believe the whiplash inducing one-hundred-eighty degree turn-around his behaviour had taken in the past few minutes. 

‘Um… Okay?’ Was all she could get out while she once again tried to inconspicuously pull her hands out of his firm grip. 

With a firm nod he let go of her hands, fished his iPhone out of his trouser pocket and proceeded to speed-dial a number, keeping his eyes on her.

It took only two rings before the other side of the line picked up.

‘Yes, hi Luke, it’s me. How are you?’

He listened for a few seconds.

‘That’s great... Listen, mate, I… Um… I was wondering if you were free to assist with a bit of a predicament…’

he chanced a glance at a still very much frowning Ben as he talked to this Luke guy, Ariel noticed.

‘Yeah. Um… No...  No, I’m fine and no, It’s got nothing to do with that. It’s got nothing to do with me.’ 

Luke was talking and he listened intently.

‘Well, I don’t know how you feel about this, but I think I’ve found you a new client.’

An incredulous question sounded from the other side of the line.

‘Yes, really…’ 

More talking by Luke.

‘No, she’s not in show business, but you know how you said you’d like to branch out into other aspects of the arts.

Well, she’s an artist and an illustrator. Ben showed me some of her work this morning, online, and she’s crazy talented, man.’

Ariel looked sharply to Ben, hands on hips. ‘You googled me?’ She mouthed at him.

Ben shrugged and looked a bit sheepish. ‘Hey, I wanted to know who we were letting into our lives. Don’t tell me you wouldn't have done the same.’ He whispered back.

Ariel had to give him that and she nodded at him, conceding he had a point.

  
Tom didn’t notice their exchange as he had begun to pace the length of the hallway while speaking to her so-called intended saviour.

‘I don’t know if you’ve followed the racket surrounding the Cumberbatches at the moment?’

‘No, it’s not about the pregnancy.’

‘Yes, Sophie is perfectly healthy.’

He hummed into the speaker at something Luke said.

‘So, I’ll conclude from that, that you haven’t been including Ben and Sophie in your internet alerts parameters in the past week.’

Tom sighed irritably.

‘Yes, I know they’re not your clients.’

He grumbled.

‘I know, I’m sorry…’ 

‘Yes… But…’

‘Luke…’

'Fuck, no...'

'Jesus, Luke!'

It sounded like Luke was really tearing him a new one, right then and Ariel couldn't help but feel a bit of righteous satisfaction about it. Served him right. Getting chewed out sucked and he just got a taste of his own medicine.

‘No, Luke… just listen...’ 

Tom huffed in irritation before bursting out, ‘Luke, please, stop talking and listen, okay?’ He sounded so exasperated by not being able to get anything in, conversation wise.

‘Thank you! Now, I know usually you recruit your own clients, but as this prospective one is in a bit of a predicament right now, I thought you could meet with her and help her out. Show her what your pr-team is capable of and let this be an audition of sorts. 

I promise you, you won’t regret this. I saw her work and she’s mega-talented. She can be the showpiece on which you hang the Prosper visual arts devision. 

Artists will be flocking to be represented by you and your team when they realize you’re taking on visual artists too…’

He sighed.

‘Yes…’

Licking his lips he smiled at something Luke said.

‘I’ve seen her work. She’s someone you’d love to work with.’ He cast a sideways glance at Ariel and nodded at her, apparently trying to be assuring.

‘Her name’s Ariel Dekker.’

There was lengthy silence and then suddenly a shout on the other side of the line and Tom held the phone at a safe distance from his ear, looking at it as if it had grown a head... 

‘What the hell?…’ He exclaimed, quickly putting the phone to his ear again when he realised that Luke was talking feverishly on the other side.

‘Luke, slow down… What?… I can’t understand you… Luke… Luke!…’ Finally the loud voice on the other side quieted down and Tom listened to Luke, who was apparently asking questions.

‘Yes, her name is Ariel Dekker.’ Tom raised an eyebrow at her. Ariel nodded at him in assent. ‘Yes, I’m very sure that’s her name…’ 

Luke said something else.

‘Wait, I’ll ask her…’

He looked at her questioningly. ‘You’re from Amsterdam?’ He asked. She nodded again and sat down on the stairs. Her still trembling legs unable to support her for much longer. Now that all the adrenaline was leaving her system, she was crashing, hard.

‘Yup, she’s from Amsterdam.’

‘Well, yes, she’s living in London now… Apparently…’ He shielded the phone with his hand and asked her, ‘You are, right?’ She nodded again, not feeling like saying anything yet. 

‘Yes, she confirmed…’ He was silent for a few more seconds. ‘What do you mean, you can’t believe ‘ _the_ Ariel Dekker’ is living in London now?’ Tom cast an incredulous glance her way.

‘Dream come true?… Whuh?…’

He frowned as he looked at Ariel, puzzled.

‘Graphic Novels?… No, I don’t know, I haven’t read…’

His eyebrows suddenly raised almost up to his hairline.

‘For Marvel? Really?’ He was now staring at her in shock. 

She looked back at him, raising a mocking eyebrow. _Gold-digger, hm? I’ll show you_ , she thought.

‘With Stan Lee… Um… Yeah… Wow…’ Flabbergasted was the only way to describe his expression.

‘Yeah… No, I’m just trying to process what you’re saying.’

Luke shot a few remarks his way.

‘I understand… Yes…’

Ariel felt a bit nervous now that there was someone in play who knew of her body of work from before her husband got sick. Work from a time in her life she'd thought she'd left behind, but apparently her work had impressed more people than she'd thought.

‘You do understand she’s in quite the predicament, pr wise? I don’t know if you’re still willing to help when you see the video’s… And the paparazzo army outside… We’re literally under siege…’

Tom answered Luke's question.

‘Yes, she’s a bit freaked out… Doesn’t know what to do…’

Then there was a long silence from Tom's side, while Luke gave him instructions.

‘Okay… So, if I understand this correctly, you, without any reserve or doubt, will take the job of being her publicist? Personally? You, the person who is the epitome of precautionary planning, have no hesitation to jump in the deep end, when asked by me to assist someone you don’t know and haven’t even met yet and you don’t need to have anything on paper, in threefold, signed in blood?’ 

He looked completely baffled.

‘Paperwork will come later… Really?…Who are you and what have you done with Luke?’ Astonishment coloured his tone.

Sophie let out a small giggle as she looked curiously at Ariel. Ariel, in answer, waved her hand at her friend in a fluttering fashion, indicating it was something she’d explain to her later.

‘Well, no… I’m just surprised you are this enthusiastic about it. I thought I would have to do a lot more in terms of begging and groveling just to convince you to even consider helping her.’

‘Okay…’

A relieved smile flickered over his face.

‘Alright, thanks mate… See you in twenty.’

Tom rang off and looked perplexed at the three people watching him; two of them with highly amused expressions on their faces and one looking up at him with apprehension, from her perch on the stairs.

‘He’s on his way.’ He said quietly, visibly pleased with the outcome of the phone call.

Ben nodded and walked past them towards the kitchen, rubbing his hands together.

‘Well then, let’s move this party to the kitchen table and finally drink some tea.’ He said. ‘I know I need some, desperately… Soph, we do still have some of those delectable triple chocolate chip cookies, right?’


	10. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey, it's Luke! :)

**Chapter 9**

 

Ten minutes later they were all seated at the kitchen dining table, steaming mugs of tea in hand and triple chocolate chip cookies were stacked on a plate in the centre of the table, waiting to be nibbled on.

‘So… Would you please explain to us why my mentioning of your name to Luke, almost gave him an aneurism from excitement? He went full fan-girl on you.’ Tom started, raising an eyebrow while turning toward Ariel.

Sophie snorted into her tea mug and quickly put her mug back on the table, before tea ended up in the wrong tube. She quickly snuck a cookie to cover up her almost choking on her tea.

‘Well… Um… I’m a freelance illustrator and I worked with Stan Lee for a while, this was before my husband became ill... A few years ago I sent some of my work to Marvel, to be reviewed, just for shits and giggles, it was as a part of a wager with some friends; never expecting anything to come from it, I mean, I’m just this unknown, unimportant, Dutch artist who’s never been anywhere, you know, but I ended up being flown to Marvel headquarters and before I knew it, I was doing some comic book work… On… Um… On the Thor comics… And that resulted in me having a bit of a say in the design parts on the first Thor film.’

‘Really?’ Tom leant forward on the table, intrigued, eyes laser-focused on her face. 

Ariel nodded, shyly looking down at the table, tracing the wood with her index finger while taking a small sip from the scalding tea to distract herself a bit. It always made her a bit nervous to talk about her art. She knew it was good, but it still surprised her that other people thought so too.

‘And what kind of things did you work on? Character design? Storyboards?’

‘Um… No… It was a bit more… intricate than that…’ She bit her lower lip, feeling quite twitchy.

‘Well, how intricate?’ Tom sounded a bit exasperated about having to almost bodily pull the answers from her.

‘Well, um… I was liaison to the costume department for one or two designs.’

‘You’re making me very curious, Ari. Come on, out with it. I want to know what you did for the Thor movie, too!’ Sophie said, almost bursting from curiosity.

‘Okay… Well… TheLokicostumedesignwasbasedonmydrawings.’ She quickly threw out.

Tom sat there, leaning back in his chair in surprise, staring at her, unable to form words.

Ariel looked up at him when it was quiet for some time and then sideways to her friends.

Ben burst out laughing and slapped the table, making the tea mugs wobble a bit. 

‘It’s been a long time since I saw Tom lost for words, Ari. Well done!’

‘What?’ Tom finally croaked.

‘What do you mean, what?’ Ariel asked.

‘What was that, about Loki?’

‘Um, well, your costume in Thor was based on my art from the Thor comics… I didn’t collaborate on many comics, just the three, and it was a few years before the Thor movie came out, but I was pulled into the film making design by Stan, because he thought my concept art was very suitable for translating into real-life clothing. So when it was time to design a costume for Loki, they went from my drawings...  The costume department had final say, of course, but a lot of the intricate pleats and viking-based art designs on the costume came from me…

When you came into the picture for the role I was already done with my part of the process, so we never met.  I was at the London premiere though… All the way in the back… And later on I did a couple of paintings of Loki in that costume.’

Tom swallowed and something occurred to him.

‘Wait, Stan has a huge painting of Loki in his study. It’s beautifully detailed and Loki looks like he is about to leap out of the canvas, his magic swirling around him… It’s very intense… Are you saying…’

‘Yeah, that’s mine.’ She said, nodding proudly. ‘I painted that in 2011, just after the movie came out. Stan bought it off me as soon as it was done. The paint wasn’t even dry yet.’

‘Wow, that painting is just… Wow…’ Tom was lost for words.

Ariel reluctantly sent him a small tightlipped smile; her dislike of him thawing a bit at his appreciation of her art. She was feeling slightly flattered that an artist like him, who was so extraordinarily talented, thought her art was good enough to leave him speechless.

She quickly took a sip of her tea to hide her flush of reluctant delight behind the rim of the mug.

Suddenly a soft gong sounded through the house. Someone was at the door.

Ben looked at his wrist watch, raising his eyebrows in surprise. ‘That was fast, he did it in fifteen minutes. Must have been close by already.’

Tom stood up and walked to the front door. When he opened it he could hear shouts and clicking noises. 

Hastily, the tall man he had spoken to only a quarter hour before, pushed him back out of sight into the hallway, stepped inside and shut the door behind him.

‘Wow, that’s some pap obstruction out there.’ Luke said by way of greeting as he accepted Tom’s hug and shook his hand at the same time.

‘Hey, man.’ Tom said, slapping Luke on the back. ‘Yes, it’s been a busy morning.’

‘So, where is she?’ He tried to look around Tom, through the doorway. 

That was Luke, straight to the point, Tom thought, amused.

‘Just through here.’ He said and led his publicist and friend into the kitchen. 

Ariel had stood from her seat at the table and moved toward the man who had just stepped into the kitchen. Nervously she straightened her t-shirt and rubbed her hands on her shorts.

Deciding that best defence is an offence -and assertiveness being a part of her character-, she stuck out her hand toward him.

‘Hi, I’m Ariel. You must be Luke.’ She said and looked up to him. ‘Christ, why are you guys all so handsome and so tall? Is it a requirement for the entertainment industry or something?’

  
the other three people in the room started snickering while Luke’s eyebrows raised almost to his hairline.

Before Luke could take her hand she had moved it to cover her mouth in shock. 

‘Shit, I’m so sorry!’ She apologised. Her eyes widened, ‘Oh, no, fuck. It wasn’t my intention to cuss… Aw, man!’

Kicking herself internally she took a deep breath and offered her hand again, this time keeping her composure… Well... a bit…

‘Let’s do that again, shall we? Hello, I am Ariel Dekker, a thirty-six-year-old, bumbling, eccentric artist with a penchant for getting into trouble, apparently; I occasionally lack a filter between my brain and my mouth and when I get flustered I cuss. Like, a lot. Sorry.’

For a few seconds Luke looked at her as if she had just spoken to him in Chinese, but then his face split into a delighted smile. He grabbed her hand and shook it enthusiastically before bowing forward a bit and answering her in a smooth, low voice.

‘Well, hello Ariel, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Luke Windsor, publicist and director of Prosper PR and I’m a long time admirer of your work.’

He looked her over once more and nodded to himself, a smile on his youthful, friendly face. 

‘You, my lady, are utterly captivating. A genuine person, with a natural beauty. You’re short and cute. Humorous and charming, with a self-deprecating streak. An innately endearing quality. I like that. I can work with that.’

Letting go of her hand, he turned to Ben and Sophie to greet them with smiles and handshakes. It looked to Ariel like they were all well acquainted; maybe not friends, but they'd met before. Probably through Tom, she thought.

Being pulled out of her thoughts by Luke turning back to her, she took a fortifying breath.

‘Okay, what do we do now?’ She asked.

‘Well, first I want to see the videos that circle the net. After that, we’ll whip up a short term strategy, to help you get out of here with preferably minimal exposure, if we can get away with that.’

Sophie walked to the laptop on the breakfast bar and picked it up. She carried it to the table and proceeded to pull up the video from last Sunday.

Everybody sat down at the table again. Luke in the middle chair of three, and Tom and Ariel flanking him on either side. Sophie and Ben took their places opposite to them. 

Sophie turned the laptop around so Luke could see the video and pressed play.

He observed the first video with a neutral face, humming occasionally and snickering a bit at the expletives she had thrown around, but when they showed him the video of that morning he became very quiet and serious, his eyes wandering to side eye Ariel every now and then.

When the video came to an end he took a deep breath and held it for a moment before breathing out again. Then he turned to Ariel and observed her for a few seconds.

‘You do realise that you barely came out of that situation unscathed, don’t you? Looking at the guy’s body language, it was touch-and-go a few times.’ He pointed at the screen. ‘This man is dangerous. If he had gone into that rage at the end when you were still in the cafe, it could have ended tragically. That threat at the end… I recommend you report him to the police. Did he hurt you when he grabbed you? Are there any marks?’

Ariel only nodded halfheartedly, shrugging a bit, thinking that if she didn’t admit she was hurting, maybe he would think it wasn’t that bad and let it rest; but Tom interjected.

‘Her upper arm and shoulder are almost black with bruises. His handprint is all over her arm.’

Luke pulled out his phone and stood up, pushing his chair back in the same movement. 

‘Right, we need to photograph it all, now that the bruising is still fresh. Ben, can we borrow a bedroom with good lighting, where she can have some privacy?’

‘Um, yes, take the one at the top of the stairs, to the right of the bathroom.’

‘But…’ Ariel protested. ‘I’m not sure if I want to report it.’ She really wasn't. It seemed like so much fuss over something that she felt was partially her own fault.

Luke turned to her, his facial expression showing patience.

‘Look, you heard the threat he made against you. That is very serious. I wouldn’t be surprised if he emerged again in the coming weeks. That guy is stalker material, mark my words. 

If you don’t report this incident, chances are, if he does it again, your case against him will be less strong than when he has a reported history of harassment against you. These pictures we’re about to take, combined with the videos circulating on YouTube, are important evidence against him. They show him assaulting you without provocation and threatening to do it again... It may have been a one time thing of an asshole grasping for his fifteen minutes of fame, but what if this incident was the trigger for something more serious?’

Ariel shivered at the thought, she hadn’t thought that far ahead and now that she did, it was a bit unnerving.

‘Now that you've put yourself into the public eye, in company of one or both of the Cumberbatches and just now when Tom opened the door for me, they have him on camera too, even if it wasn’t intentional, the paps will be all over it... You are a mystery woman, rubbing elbows with some of the most famous people in the world and the public will want to know more. I’m sure that if you log into Tumblr right now, there will be lots of chatter on you... The paparazzi will want to cash in on the solving of the mystery and they can be pit-bulls when it comes to finding information on someone. It will only be a matter of days before the press will print your name in combination with these incidents and it won’t be hard to find your contact information after that… What if this man decides to come to your house and make good on his threat? You need to constantly be a step ahead of him and reporting this to the police is part of that.

‘Also, when we are done with the pictures, we will freshen you up with a bit of make-up and hair styling and we will go outside to the press and answer some of their questions.’

‘What?’ Ariel swallowed down the anxious butterflies that suddenly fluttered in her chest. ‘I can’t go out there and… and talk to them… I’ll…’

‘The best defence is an offence.’ Luke interrupted her.  


‘We go to them and we will give them what they want. Explain who you are and why you are here. Be honest. That way we’ll take the wind out of their sails and they won’t hunt you down so much. Believe me, I do this stuff for a living.’ He winked at her.

‘But, you just said that that guy will have an easy time finding out where I live when the press publishes my name…’ 

‘Yes, but keeping them from any information you don’t want them to know by saying nothing, will only make them dig deeper. If we come up with a believable story with just enough information to keep them happy, they will not try to dig much deeper than that. 

Those paps are all about an easy payday, so we give them what they think they want and they’ll go running to their magazines and print it and then hop onto the next piece of celebrity excitement that comes along. The media is a very fast moving business. You’ll be old news by the beginning of next week, trust me.’

Ariel saw the logic in that, but it didn’t sit well with her that she’d be in a gossip magazine. It was just so far out of her comfort zone.

‘I really do hope you will report this incident to the police, but even if you don’t, it will be important to document the bruises for later referral. Anything important I need to know about your life before we begin with your press campaign?’

‘Um… I’m a widow. My husband died from cancer, almost two years ago. We have three children. Seventeen-year-old twin boys and a ten-year-old girl. For me it’s the most important thing that they will be as well protected from the press as they can be. Other than that, no skeletons in the closet. At least, I don’t think so… We have always just been your average nuclear family…’

‘I’m so sorry for your loss.’ Luke said sympathetically.

‘Thank you.’ 

Then she thought of something. 

‘Oh, wait… Um… There is one other thing.’

Luke looked at her expectantly.

‘Yeah, it’s a bit embarrassing actually… Or at least, I think so… It’s not really, you know… But it’s just that I don't like to talk about it…’

‘Well, out with it then.’ Luke said.

‘Okay… Last New Years Eve I won the state lottery…’

Ariel heard Sophie’s surprise intake of air behind her.

Luke eyes got big. 

‘You what?’

‘I won the state lottery… Do you need to know the amount? Because I’m not really comfortable with conveying that.’ She grimaced a bit.

He let out an amused huff.

‘No, I don’t need to know the exact amount, but a pointer as to what I’m working with would be appreciated.’

‘Um, Okay… Well, it’s fairly far north of twenty million pounds…’ She said quietly. 

Ben let out a low whistle.

‘Maybe it would be best to leave the origin and amount of her fortune out of the press release, huh?  Lots of male gold diggers in London, you know. Wouldn’t want her to be targeted.’ He pondered.

‘Yes, let’s not include that.’ Ariel agreed wholeheartedly. She didn’t want herself or her children to become a target for people looking for an easy pay-day.

Suddenly a phone started ringing. Five people grabbed for their phones. It was a pavlovian response and Ariel chuckled at the funny spastic movement everyone made simultaneously.

She recognised her own ringtone and followed the sound to the toilet. It still was on the edge of the sink, where Sophie had put it, earlier.

Picking it up she saw it was Arthur.

‘Hello, Art?’

‘Mum! Are you okay? I saw what happened. One of my friends saw the video and called me about it. Tell me you’re okay, Mum!’ He was frantic.

‘Darling, I’m fine, just a bit shaken up. I’m at Ben and Sophie’s house. We’re under siege by the paparazzi. I can’t leave the house.  Are you at home now? Is there anyone outside on the street looking like a pap?’

‘Oh, thank god you’re okay! Yes, I’m at home and no, there’s no paparazzi outside. Why?’

‘Well, it's a madhouse out here and I don’t know when I’ll be home. Would you be a darling and pick your sister up from school at three?’

‘Yes, of course. Just get home safe. Okay, Mum?’ His voice sounding so worried made Ariel want to cry.

‘Of course darling, don’t worry about me. After you’ve picked up Avery, you go straight back home, okay? And if you could call your brother and tell him to come home, that would be great. 

I don’t know what’s going to happen with the press today, so I would be so much more reassured if all three of you were home safe. 

I’ll call Avery’s school and tell them you’ll be the one picking her up.’

‘Okay, Mum. I’ll see you later. Love you!’

‘Love you too, Art. Be careful. Bye.’

After she rang off, she quickly rang Avery’s school and explained the situation. Thankfully they were very understanding and they didn’t make a fuss about it. Apparently they had had their share of students with famous parents and it wasn’t something they hadn't dealt with before.

Then she turned to her friends.

'Okay, let's do this.'


	11. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke to the rescue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at all these sandcastles! I love my sandbox! :)

**Chapter 10**

 

Letting out a relieved sigh, knowing that Avery would be taken care of, Ariel put her phone in the back pocket of her jeans shorts and walked back to the four people sitting at the table, waiting for her to get everything in order.

Luke immediately took charge.

‘Well, with that out of the way, there are a few things to take care of regarding your media exposure. First of all, I think it’s a good idea if Tom keeps away from you for the coming couple of weeks. He’s got a lot of other things on his plate at the moment and not all of it is going to be positive for him. No need to drag you down along with him, Ariel. So, Tom, if you don’t mind, could you please take the back exit to your own house when you leave?’

Tom nodded, solemnly, avoiding the questioning gaze of his best friend.

‘Yeah, no problem, mate.’ He stated. The look Ben gave him told Ariel that a long conversation would be had, later.

‘Good. Now, Ariel, we’re going upstairs to photograph your injuries and after that, Sophie will help you freshen up and apply a bit of make-up…’

Ariel held up a hand, interrupting him.

‘Wait, wait. Tom is going through the back exit. There is a back exit? Why can’t I go through the back exit?’ She exclaimed, getting her hopes up on leaving undetected.

‘It’s not as much a back exit as it is a door that connects the gardens of our respective houses. Tom lives around the corner and about four feet of our gardens are adjacent to each other. We installed a garden door in the fence, so we can visit each other without going out into public. Turned out to be quite handy when leaving each other’s parties inebriated. No chance of a drunken public debacle.’ Ben explained with a wink.

‘Well, then I’ll just leave through Tom’s house.’ Ariel reasoned, glancing sideways at Luke, hoping to get out of appearing before the media that was camped outside the front door.

Luke chuckled.

‘Nice try, Ariel, but as the paps have already seen Tom here, they will no doubt also be stationed outside his house by now. And there’s no getting out of talking to the press. It’s something that needs to be done, no matter how much you dread it.’

‘Aw, man…’ Ariel muttered under her breath, frowning. She really wasn’t looking forward to this.

Luke lead her up the stairs and into the designated room. 

He cleared his throat.

‘Maybe you’ll be more at ease with Sophie taking the pictures?’ He suddenly asked.

Ariel scoffed, a smile pulling at her mouth.

‘I’m an artist, Luke. And I’ve been an artists model for quite a few years. I’m not uncomfortable in my skin and I’m not a prude. Besides, I don’t think I have anything to fear from you, you seem like a very decent person. And you’re gay.’ She winked at him.

Luke raised an eyebrow in surprise at her bluntness and barked out a laugh.

‘How did you know?’

Ariel snickered.

‘I saw how you checked out Ben when you came in, and that look was not platonic. Can’t say I blame you. Major eye-candy there.’ Her tongue was peeking cheekily between her teeth as she glanced at him. ‘Don’t worry, your crush is safe with me. I don’t think anyone else noticed. I only recognised the look because I’ve seen it on my teenage son’s face when he longingly gazes at his male celebrity crush of the week, on his phone, and tries to be inconspicuous about it.’

‘Ah.’ An understanding smile played around Luke’s lips as he turned on the camera on his phone and focussed on the settings. 

Ariel proceeded to gently pull off her t-shirt. A hiss escaped her lips as her shoulder was jostled in the process.

‘Jesus, fuck!’ The exclamation flew through the room. Ariel looked up, startled by the sudden cuss, this time not coming from her. Luke was staring at the bruises that mottled her flesh and he paled a bit. ‘That must smart like a son of a bitch.’

‘No shit, Sherlock.’ Ariel growled, as she gingerly removed the bra strap from her injured shoulder and pulled her arm through the opening.

‘Where do you want me?’ She asked. Looking around for the best light.

‘Near the window will do, but not too close to the curtaining. Don’t want the paps getting more photo’s and info on you than we want them to have.’

Ariel nodded and followed Luke’s directions to the letter; within minutes they were done. 

‘If you just wait with putting that shirt back on, I’ll ask Sophie if you can borrow a tank top from her. It will be easier to get on and it will show off your war wounds to the press. Showing what that man did to you will warm them to you and it will hopefully sway public opinion your way, too.’

‘My god, I feel like I’m in Coriolanus. You sure you don’t want me to parade around naked? I can do that, you know. Might sway them my way even more! “To brag unto them ‘Thus I did, and thus.’ Show them th’unaching scars, which I should hide, As if I had received them for the hire of their breath only!”.’ She recited, sarcasm colouring her voice.

Luke snickered at her.

‘you know, next to the publicity for your art work, I could get you a few acting auditions, If you’d like. With all the exposure you’re getting with your impassioned speeches, you’d be hired in a heartbeat. Sway the public your way, with the right incentive, and they’d flock to a play that features you.’

Ariel shook her head vehemently ‘No’ and kept on ranting a mocked up reciting of Coriolanus’ speech.

‘Most sweet voices. Better it is to die, better to starve, than crave the hire first we do deserve. Why in this wolvish tank top should I stand there To beg of Hob and Dick that does appear Their needless vouches? Windsor calls me to’t. What Windsor wills, in all things should we do’t…’ She turned to the wall, beseeching her invisible fans to part with their votes with a flourish.

‘…Here come more voices! Your voices! For your voices I have brawled, Watched for your voices, for your voices bear Of bruises two dozen odd; battles thrice six I have seen and heard of; For your voices Have done many things, some less, some more. Your Voices! Indeed I would be…….. Popular!’ Her voice had grown stronger and louder during the speech and the last word was almost screeched with mischievous glee as she threw her head back and waved her left hand in a dramatic arch through the air.

Luke just mock-frowned at her, then sighed and fiddled with his phone, adjusting the lighting in the photo’s they’d just taken. Apparently he'd gotten the message that she wasn’t interested. 

A deep laugh sounded from the hallway. It seemed Ben was waiting for them in the corridor.

‘Did she just wing the Bard’s verse and manipulate it into conforming to her own situation?’ Tom’s bewildered voice sounded muted from the other side of the door as he addressed Ben.

‘And what a masterful corruption it was!’ Ben laughed.

‘Yup, sorry, not sorry.’ Ariel called back. ‘I’m genetically predisposed. My mum spoon-fed the Shake’s verses and prose to us from a very young age. I am prone to intentionally butchering it, just to try and make her head spin a three-sixty.’ 

She opened the door and walked out of the room, straight past Tom and Ben, bra strap back in place and calling out to Sophie for the borrowing of a tank top, absolutely out of fucks to give about who saw her in her underwear. She was too tired to keep up any decorum. At the moment all she wanted to do was lay down on her bed and sleep for a week. But, apparently that had to wait for a bit longer.

Luke exited the room after her and joined the two men in the corridor.  
  
Sophie had just arrived at the top of the stairs and she ushered her friend into the dressing room adjacent to the master bedroom to find her something fitting.

After she closed the door in the men’s faces, she turned to Ariel and pushed her through the door connecting the dressing room to the master bathroom to get her cleaned up and ready for her press talk.

Ariel washed her face and removed the remnants of her make-up.

‘Oh gawd, I look like a panda.’ She groaned, looking in the mirror. All that happened today had done a bad turn on her make-up. All of her eyeliner and mascara had migrated south of her eyes. Some of it even smudged on her cheekbones.

‘Did Luke just take pictures of me looking like a deranged, brunette, Courtney Love? Urgh…’ Her mouth pulled down in disgust.

Sophie suppressed a laugh at that aptly applied epithet.

‘I have to admit, it does add a lot of drama to the pictures. You look like someone that has been battered and has survived. Which is exactly what happened. Take it from me, that will work to your advantage if these pictures ever make it to the press. It will bring public support to your side. Which is important when handling a case of harassment or assault. If these photo’s didn’t exist, public opinion could more easily be swayed to the harasser’s side and police would be more inclined to completely dismiss the claims of assault.’

Scrubbing at the stray make-up, Ariel sighed tiredly.

‘I just want to go to bed and pretend today never happened.’ 

‘I know, honey. Only a few more things to do and then I’ll have Ben take you home. I’m sure your children won’t mind taking care of their mum for once, instead of the other way around.’

After Ariel put on some moisturiser to soothe her now dry skin, Sophie pulled out a beauty case with a sundry of skin and eye make-up and started to elaborately apply it to Ariel’s face.

When she was satisfied, she turned Ariel back to the mirror.

‘I’d say you will blow them away, don’t you think?’ She said, content with the result.

Ariel turned her face this way and that and had to admit, Sophie was one hell of a make-up artist. She looked so fresh and innocent. Even younger than she normally looked. Somehow the purplish eye make-up made her green eyes seem bigger than they were and they looked like they were glowing sadly in her pale face.

‘How did you do that?’ She asked, impressed by how natural the look was.

‘Well, I work in theatre and not every play is high-end and well subsidised. Most times the whole cast and crew doubles up on other chores, like make-up, costuming and prop making.

Now if you’ll follow me, I think I can do better than lending you a tank top. I’ve got just the outfit to go with that beautiful, sweet face.’

Sophie led the way back into the dressing room and opened a few doors to the left of the doorway. She rummaged through some clothes on a rack and finally pulled something from the back, smiling triumphantly.

‘I knew I had something laying around. Look at this. It’s perfect. I once received this from a designer, but it was too short for me and the top was too wide. I think it will fit you quite well. Here, try it on!’

Ariel took the piece of clothing and looked it over. It was a beautiful, midnight blue summer dress; almost the same colour as the t-shirt she was wearing that day. The dress was short, but not too short. Well, it wouldn’t be too short on Ariel. For Sophie it would have been almost indecent. 

Ariel laughed and looked at her friend with twinkling eyes. Sophie was happy to see a bit of mirth return to those lovely eyes.

‘That designer really thought this would fit you? I mean, it’s a very pretty dress, but didn’t he know how tall you are? One small breeze and you’d have underwear-gate to deal with. Does this even _cover_ your ass when it’s on you?’

‘I know, right? Totally a fashion faux pas.’ Sophie agreed, waving her right hand in front of herself.  ‘Come on, put it on. I’ll bet it will look fantastic on you.’

Ariel was glad that Sophie helped her to pull off her shorts, because her right arm was hurting bad and her muscles were becoming stiff.

When Sophie zipped up the dress, they encountered the problem of bra straps peeking out of a racerback neckline.

‘Oh, for fucks sake!’ Sophie exclaimed.

‘Ha! I’m rubbing off on you!’ Ariel joked with a wink. ‘Wait, I have a solution.’

She pulled one of the elastic bands out of her hair and handed it to Sophie.

‘Just bind the two straps together behind my upper back with this band and the straps will stay under the cloth.’

Sophie bound the two straps together and adjusted the fabric of the dress so it covered them.

‘Okay, that takes care of your dress. Now for your hair. I think a loose up-do will suffice. I’ll just let a few locks hang around your face.’

With a few fast hand movements, Sophie had removed the other rubber band from Ariel’s hair and combed through it. She twisted and turned the locks into a flowing up-do, pinning the hair down with a few bobby pins and then proceeded to hand Ariel her discarded specs and turn her around to the floor to ceiling mirror, that took up half a wall of the dressing room.

‘Wow.’ Ariel breathed after she’d put her glasses back on. She was speechless. In less than thirty minutes, Sophie had managed to turn her disheveled emotional self into a picture of sassy cuteness.

The dress was made from stretchy viscose and had a halter top neckline in the front and in the back a racerback finish. This meant that while she was demurely covered up to her neck on both sides, her shoulders were left free. 

The waist was empire line and cinched just under her breasts with a faux leather belt of the same midnight blue colour as the dress. It gave the dress a bit of a rock and roll feel. From the waistline the skirt flowed freely to just a couple of inches above her knees. It was short, but not too short. 

The whole outfit gave her a nice summery girl-next-door look with a bit of an edge. She liked it very much. The huge bruises that covered her upper right arm and shoulder and up over her clavicle, not so much.

She turned around and saw that the bruises extended over her right shoulder blade.

‘Oh man, he really did a number on me, didn’t he?’ She whispered, horrified. It was like the whole incident was only now sinking in. She realised how dangerous the situation actually had been. 

She breathed deeply in and out a few times to get her suddenly racing heartbeat under control. 

It was over and done with; no use dwelling on what could have happened. _Just be happy to have gotten out of there relatively unscathed_ , she thought.

‘Wait, shoes. What to do for shoes? You can’t wear your sneakers.’ Sophie’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

‘I’ll just go barefoot then.’ She said. ‘It’s just down the street, right?’

‘True, but you might cut your feet on something sharp.’ Sophie dove into another part of the closet, pulling out shoe boxes left and right. ‘Maybe… Ah, there they are.’

She pulled out a pair of black flip flops. Ariel wouldn’t fit into her shoes, as they would be too big, but a pair of flip flops might just do the trick.

Ariel slid her feet into the flip flops and although they were a bit big in the back, she’d be able to walk in them.

‘Yes, those will do.’ Sophie said, nodding approvingly.

She grabbed Ariel’s hand and pulled her to the entrance to the hallway, where they could hear the murmur of male voices, and she opened the door with a flourish. 

‘Gentlemen, I present to you, Ariel, all cleaned up and ready to take on the press.’

‘I wouldn’t exactly call it ready…’ Ariel grumbled out of the side of her mouth to her friend. Sophie just winked at her and pushed her out into the corridor.

A stunned silence was what greeted them. Three pairs of eyes taking in the transformation.

Luke was the first who found his voice back.

‘Well, that’s just perfect.’ He said happily. ‘Well done, Sophie. They won’t know what hit them.’

Sophie smiled with glee at the praise from the publicist who never demanded anything less than perfection from his employees. The fact that he thought she nailed the look he had in mind was flattering.

‘Yes, well done, Darling.’ Ben put an arm around her shoulders and kissed her on the temple. ‘You still got the mad make-over skills.’

‘As if you ever doubted me.’ She scoffed at her husband, leaning in to him.

‘Never.’ He smiled down at her.

Tom was leaning back against the wall, hands in his trouser pockets. His eyes appraising Ariel in a way she couldn’t decipher, his face closed off. 

Ariel thought he looked a bit forlorn before his signature smile slid in place over his face and he reached out to squeeze Sophie’s hand.

‘Yes, Soph, she looks great.’ He said, appreciative. Sophie smiled at him gratefully.

‘Great. Guys, she’s standing right here, hearing everything you say, you know. She’s feeling a little bit invisible.’ Ariel deadpanned with a little wave of her fingers, humour showing in her voice.

Tom’s gaze slid from Sophie to hers and it was like he made a decision in that moment and a switch just flipped in his brain. She could see it happen. 

His eyes held hers as his courteous smile morphed into something much more potent and warm; the crinkles around his eyes softening somehow, making the blue orbs appear more alive than she had seen them in the short time she had had the dubious pleasure of his acquaintance. It made her feel a bit apprehensive.

He pushed away from the wall, almost stepping into her space, forcing her to tilt her head back a bit to be able to look at him. 

She swallowed. What was he _doing_? Blinking quickly, she tried to focus.

Taking her hand in his, he bowed gracefully and kissed the top of her hand - _so very old world_ , she thought-, his eyes never leaving hers. He then put his other hand over the spot he’d just kissed and stayed a bit stooped over, so she didn’t have to strain to look him in the eyes.

‘You will never be invisible, love. You shine too brightly for everyone to see.’ His voice had taken on a deep, warm timbre that flowed around her like a decadent dark chocolate and his fingers softly caressed comforting circles on the inside of her wrist. 

What. The. Fuck?

‘I hope you will accept my sincere apologies for all the horrid things I have said to you today. I am so very sorry and if you’ll let me, I will find a way to make it up to you; even if it would take a long time, I hope that one day you will be able to forgive me.’

He straightened up, but he never let go of her hand and his eyes never left hers. 

The intensity of being the sole recipient of that laser-focus gaze and the seemingly sincere apology he had so eloquently offered in front of everyone, had her lost for words for a few seconds. 

Oh god, she must look like a gasping fish, opening and closing her mouth once, then twice, trying to speak.

Finally she broke the spell of the charm offensive that had just been let loose on her and took a deep breath to clear her head. She narrowed her eyes at Tom and pulled her hand out of his. 

This wouldn’t do, he had verbally filleted her and smeared her character with his venomous words not even two hours ago and now he thought that she would be won over with a good deed, some well-placed words and a smile? Who did he think she was? A dimwitted little tart?

‘Well, I can certainly see why they cast _you_ as the Lie-smith; you’re just like him. You can do a one-eighty turn at the flip of a switch, can’t you, mr Hiddleston?   From what I’ve seen of your behaviour today, I don’t know if I can believe a word that comes out of your mouth. You’re giving me a freaking whip-lash with those mood-swings. You might think you can fool me, but I see right through you...  I’m grateful for the help you’ve provided me with in the form of mr Windsor, but now I’d like to suggest you leave the theatrics and the charming masks where they belong, -the stage-, and just say you’re sorry without all the I’m-Prince-Charming-hear-me-roar bells and whistles. If you’re not capable of that, then I’m not interested in an apology.’ Crossing her arms over her chest, Ariel frowned and stared defiantly up into his eyes. She was not having any of this shit right now.

Tom’s eyes widened in surprise and he took a small step back, apparently not expecting such a rebuke. His ears coloured red as he straightened his shoulders; his spine going ramrod straight, as he looked down his nose at her.  
Ariel, determined to not be intimidated by his stance or his facial expression, stared right back up, eyes blazing.

‘Oh my god.’ Sophie whispered. Ariels eyes flitted to her friend, unsure if she just ruined their friendship with her attitude, but Sophie just stared at Ariel in awe. Ariel raised a questioning eyebrow at her, but the answer she sought came from Ben.

‘I can’t believe it! She’s immune to the Hiddles-charm! Soph! Did you see it? Did you? She just shook it off!’ His voice full of glee.

‘What the hell are you on about?’ Ariel questioned, by now really thinking her friends had both lost it and wonderingly looking back and forth between the two.

‘What I’m on about? You have _no_ idea how rare it is for Tom to _not_ be able to charm his way out of an undesirable situation. Usually he turns on the charm and women fall at his feet, and a lot of men fall over themselves to do his bidding. It’s so refreshing to see a woman other than his mum, or his sisters, give him tit for tat and not putting up with his silver tongue and his bullshit.’

A grumble came from Tom’s vicinity.

‘Fuck you, Cumberbatch.’ He growled through his teeth, sounding almost as pissed off as that morning in the sitting room.

Ben turned to Tom with a disgruntled look on his face and opened his mouth to say something.  
What that was they would never know, because at this precise moment, Luke stepped forward and clapped a hand on Tom’s shoulder, grasping it firmly.  
  
‘Okay, time for me to interfere and save a decade-old friendship. Tom, it’s best for you to go home and calm down. Let’s go. I’ll be back soon, ladies and gent.’ He nodded at them and then proceeded to push Tom out in front of him, away from Ben; Tom having red spots on his cheekbones and his angry eyes shooting daggers at a flabbergasted Ben. Thankfully Tom heeded the warning squeeze Luke gave his shoulder and he kept his mouth shut.

The eyes of the three people that were left on the landing, followed the two tall men walking down the stairs. Well, Luke was walking down the stairs and Tom was being dragged down, forcibly, by his very irate publicist. Tom cast a last angry glance Ariel’s way, an expression of pissed off exasperation on his face -she had no idea how he was able to do that-, before he disappeared into the hallway on the ground floor.

‘Come on, what is this? Luke! What the fuck are you doing?’ She heard Tom’s irritated voice coming from downstairs, fading away as Luke dragged Tom towards the back exit of the house.

She could hear Luke softly say something in a very stern tone of voice, but the fact that they were now at the back of the kitchen made their voices muffled and unintelligible to the people upstairs.

There were a few short pissed off outbursts from Tom, which made Ben’s eyebrows rise almost up to his hairline in surprise. 

‘What the hell happened to him when he was away? He’s never been like this. Ever.’ He moved his questioning gaze to his wife, who shrugged in helpless bewilderment.

Things had quieted down a bit downstairs and a few more muffled words were exchanged. Then there was the opening and slamming of the backdoor and only one set of footsteps made their way back to the hallway.

‘It’s safe to come down now.’ A half serious, half amused voice announced.

Ariel made her way down the stairs, followed by Sophie and Ben.

Downstairs Luke was beaming confidently up at them; apparently he was already sliding back into his role of publicist. There was no sign of any distress over his little skirmish with Tom.

‘Tom had some things to take care of at home, so he left. He sends his regards and hopes to speak to you all soon.’  
He was lying through his teeth, Ariel knew this, but she also knew that she wouldn’t have any idea he was untruthful if she hadn’t just witnessed what she had, and half heard the scene playing out between him and Tom downstairs. 

Luke’s face was completely relaxed and he had a pleasant and relaxed countenance; his eyes twinkling in a friendly manner. The ease with how he could manipulate people’s perceptions of him, and his clients, was almost scary. She made a mental note to never get on his bad side. That would be… well, bad.

All three people descending the stairs had similar skeptical expressions on their faces, because all had heard the dissonance between the two men and witnessed Tom’s ireful behaviour, but Luke ignored that completely and went on to give Ariel pointers as to how to address the press.  
He switched between topics so fast, Ariel was having trouble keeping up with all the information she had to process. His talent to compartmentalize different situations in his life was admirable, but she was having trouble to wade through all the bullshit floating around in her head. She was tired and emotionally drained. 

And she didn’t think she’d be able to recall anything he'd said by the time she was under the scrutiny of the paps. Thinking of the fact that she'd have to face them in a few minutes, made anxiety flare in her tummy and she tried to keep her breathing even and deep. Only a small interview, then she could go home and sleep for a day, she told herself.

Don't answer questions on personal details she didn’t want revealed. Check. Don’t answer questions that have anything to do with Ben and Sophie’s personal life. Don't answer anything on Tom either, for that matter. Check and check. 

No losing her temper, no matter how much they provoked her. Ugh, not easy, that one. Just answer any question she didn't like with ‘no comment’ or ‘sorry, I can't answer that.’

After a few more pointers, Luke turned to Sophie.

‘Sophie, I think it will beneficial if you join us outside. Even if it’s only for moral support for Ariel. Both you and Ariel are in the videos and if you stay inside it will reflect badly on you and your husband. Like you can’t be bothered to support your friend. Which will instigate more rumours about Ariel being a paid actress, -like you told me they already think she is-, which will sour the public to your marriage to Ben, even more...  Now, I know I’m not your publicist, but I’ll give you some advice anyway.

‘I know you and Ben shy away from the press and that’s very understandable after all the things that were written about you and all the harassment you have suffered. You’ve never really talked to the press yourself and I think this would be a great opportunity to set some things straight. Let people see the real Sophie -a loyal friend, a loving spouse, a glowing, expectant mother and an intelligent and witty woman- and answer some questions about you and Ben and the baby now that the spotlight isn’t solely honed in on you. We’ll let them know rude questions will not be tolerated and those will irrevocably put an end to the interview. The same goes for your interview, Ariel.’

Ariel nodded in understanding.

He turned to Ben, who looked very apprehensive.

‘Yes, I know, Ben, you’re hating this idea. But it can’t go on like this. Your wife will keep getting harassed by paps and fans alike if you don’t show a united front and if you don’t give in and let them into your life just a little bit; so I do recommend you join your wife in this endeavour. Show the world that you love her and that she is not going away anytime soon, if you have anything to say about it. This is your chance to set things right. For Sophie.’

_Sheesh, this guy is a master._ Ariel thought, impressed by Luke's ability to spin a tale.

Ben was frowning and he looked like he was struggling with the overwhelming urge to protect his family -and shield them from the world completely- and with the insight Luke’s words had installed in him. He knew Luke was right, they couldn’t go on like this. It was eating away at them.

It took him a little bit of time, and some pacing, to come to terms with Luke’s plans, but then he sighed, and nodded.

‘You’re right, I’ve tried it my way, and it didn’t work. Let’s try it your way, Luke. All I want for my family is to be left alone. So if you’re able to achieve that for us, I’d be eternally grateful. And if this new path holds true to everything you just promised, you’ll have yourself another new client.’

Luke’s eyes widened fractionally in surprise just before a smile broke through on his face.

‘Thank you for the trust you put in me, Ben. I’ll do my best to steer you through this. I’d be honoured to represent you.’

‘I’m counting on it.’ Ben said solemnly, and shook Luke’s proffered hand.

Smart Ben, ensuring the publicist would do his damnedest best to make everything go as smoothly as possible, by offering himself up as a high profile client. Ariel looked at Sophie from the corner of her eye and saw the relief on her friend’s face. 

Finally someone was going to do something about all the negative media attention they’d been getting. 


	12. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Press Wranglers R Us...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All this saaaaaaannnd. It's so pretty... :)

**Chapter 11**

 

Luke went out the door first, to inform the press about the upcoming interview and to instruct them on the rules of conduct and give info about the general framework on which questions would be answered, and, of course, which kinds of questions would not be answered.   
One of the demands of the Cumberbatch’s was that after the interview, the press would leave and keep away from them for the coming weeks, at least until after the birth of their child. 

It was a demand the paps were more than willing to concede to. A scoop, not only on the ‘Buxom Brownie’s’ identity, but also on the relationship of one of Britain’s most controversial couples, was a guaranteed big pay day.

When Luke motioned for her to join him, with the hand movement behind his back which they had agreed upon earlier, Ariel reluctantly left the relative safety of the hallway and stepped through the front door into the sunlight. As she walked through the front garden and into the street, a wave of excitement seemed to go through the group of waiting people.

Immediately camera’s started snapping and she was temporarily blinded by both sun and camera flashes. Shielding her eyes, she walked up to Luke and shyly gave the congregated press a strained and close-lipped smile.

Her heart was beating fast and if she hadn’t kept her spine as straight and her legs as locked as she had, she’d be a trembling puddle of nerves. Softly she blew out a trembling sigh.

Luke’s hand landed on her lower back in support.

‘Steady.’ He softly whispered, almost without moving his lips.

‘Yeah, easy for you to say, mr press wrangler.’ She hissed back from the corner of her mouth, looking up at him, frowning a bit in exasperation.

Luke’s eyes crinkled in amusement at her quip. Apparently sassy Ariel was lurking just beneath the surface of this subdued version brought forward by the throngs of the present media.

Another wave of excitement went through the crowd when Sophie and Ben joined them. Thanks to the pre-set rules of engagement, the noise stayed within the acceptable range, with no shouted questions or provocations.

With her friends at her back, showing their support, Ariel was now starting to feel more confident about addressing the press. She still felt nervous, but the urge to fall to her knees and throw up had subsided.

It wasn’t long before Luke had welcomed everyone and took to pointing at random people in the crowd and taking their questions, never giving a turn to someone twice and making sure most, if not all, could get their questions in. He played the crowd like the pro he was. 

Ariel was very thankful for his presence as well as his interjections when someone became too familiar with her.  


Over all, the questions were easy to answer, as to what her name was, where she was from and the request for her side of the story on the incident of that morning. She answered all questions as well as she could, without giving too much away about her private life or her children.

Thanks to Luke, the emphasis stayed on the incidents that were widely reported on the internet, on the injuries she suffered that morning and even on her work in the arts, the latter pleasantly surprising her. 

He bent the conversation towards her profession more often than not and after Sophie and Ben had taken over the press conference, graciously answering the questions about their relationship and their baby, Ariel was sure that Luke had just provided her with a load of new hits and likes on her website and social media profiles and maybe even won over a few prospective clients.

After Sophie and Ben’s session had ended, they all stayed a bit longer, the three of them posing for photo’s; Ariel being pulled into the shots by Sophie after she ignored Luke’s gentle push toward the couple. She was sure the first few pictures with her in them would show the deer-in-headlights expression on her face. It took a few moments before she relaxed and played along with Sophie’s antics to get her to laugh and be as free as she could be in front of so many flashing cameras.

To her relief the people of the press started to scatter after the photo op. Everyone of them eager to get to their respective clients to sell their story to no doubt.

Ariel and her small group made their way back into the house and when she chanced a glance out of the hallway window a few minutes later, there was only and empty street with the occasional passing cars and pedestrians.

‘It's as if nothing happened.’ she mumbled to herself, shaking her head in disbelief and rubbing her arms against the sudden chill in her body. The waning of the adrenaline that had flooded her system that morning, was leaving her feeling tired and strangely empty.

Behind her Luke let out an amused snicker, startling her because she’d thought she was alone. From the kitchen she heard a soft feminine laugh and the murmur of Ben’s voice.

‘You better get used to the flashmob like qualities of the paps.’ Luke said. ‘They’re like a plague of locusts. Suddenly they’re there, smack dab in the middle of whatever your life is at that moment, and when all of their ‘food’ is consumed they’re off to richer feeding grounds, leaving behind a crap load of pictures and gossip in those rag magazines of theirs. Not caring if there is even a small bit of truth in it and not caring what havoc they wreak in a person’s life... This won’t be the last time you’ll encounter them; not if you’re serious about putting your work out in the world through Prosper PR and not if you keep up your association with Sophie and Ben and any friendships with well known artists and actors that derive from that. They have a vast circle of acquaintances in the industry, so be ready to rub elbows with the rich and famous every now and then.

'I’ll try to keep your public figure as obscure as possible, without compromising the publicity we’ll give to your work, but you’ll have to be prepared to face a publicity shit storm every now and then, because of it.’

‘Are you trying to scare me away, Luke?’ Ariel asked, slightly amused despite of everything, a light smile tugging at her lips. 

Luke couldn't hide a grimace at her assessment of his warning. Not what he was going for, apparently…

‘No, I’m trying to say it as it is. It’s not easy to live in the spotlight and I want you to go into this business agreement with your eyes wide open and without any romantic ideas about fame. It’s hard work to keep your private life as private as possible when you’re in the spotlight and you won’t be able to keep your public life from seeping through to your home life, as you have already experienced today.

'Now, I know you didn’t step into the cross hairs of the press willingly or with a preconceived notion about putting yourself out there to promote yourself or your work, but now that you are in the public’s sights, it will be easier to promote your work and get people to write about it. You have kicked up some proverbial dust and it would be smart to use it to show off what you can do with a pencil and paintbrush. Don’t wait too long with deciding if you want this or not, -because tomorrow or the day after there will be a fresh news story about someone else for the public to fawn over-, but don’t rush into it without knowing all the pros and cons, either.’ 

Ariel nodded in understanding and agreement. It wasn’t like she needed to make money off her art now that she had so much of it, but it had been her life long dream to be at least recognised as a genuine artist, by the art industry. 

She’d been hovering at the edge of the international art world for quite a few years, and just when she thought there was going to be a break through with her work for Marvel, Brian had fallen ill and she’d had to put her own life and career on the back burner.

After that there hadn’t been any time or money to work toward a comeback; all her time had been consumed by odd jobs to keep her head above water and by consoling her distraught children and working through her own sorrow.

‘I know about most of what you’ve told me, Luke. I’m thirty-six, not eighteen. I’ve had a whole life before this. I’ve had the uni education, the marriage, the children and a bit of a career. I’ve seen and experienced happiness, illness, heartbreak and death, and I’ve come out the other side of a very dark episode of my life, victoriously, and with the knowledge of how strong I am and how strong my children are. You’re not talking to some teenage school-miss who is dreaming about super-stardom. 

'I’ve been around the block, and then some. My boys are going to be eighteen soon and one of them will be living and studying in another country within the next few months; the other one is still at home, but I don’t know how long that will last; he might decide to spread his wings too. The boys already have their own lives and will probably fly under the radar of the press... My daughter is wise beyond her years sometimes, with both feet firmly on the ground and stubborn to a fault. I know it won’t be easy, but I want this career and if being exposed to the public to a certain extent will help, then by all means, put your PR brilliance to work. I’ll talk it over with my kids and let you know tonight if I go through with it. If I know my children, they’ll be nothing but supportive, and over all I think we’ll be okay.’

Luke looked so relieved that he didn’t scare her away from going into business with him that she grinned. She patted the younger man’s shoulder and winked.

‘Don’t worry, Luke, I’m made of sterner stuff than most of your clientele. Apart from the occasional emotional blow out in private, like today, I’m very good at keeping a cool head and very nifty at getting myself out of a tight spot. It’s when people start to threaten me or mine that you have to worry about damage control. Come to think of it, I might need some media training…’ 

He let out a snicker and raised an eyebrow.

‘Really, Ariel? I hadn’t noticed.’

Ariel laughed with him and she was sure this collaboration with Prosper PR was going to be a… well, prosperous one. Pun intended. She snickered furtively at that thought.

Luke reached into his suit jacket and took out a business card, handing it to Ariel.

‘This has my personal number on it. If you decide to take my offer, then call me and let me know; I’ll come by your house with a few contracts tomorrow, or Monday, if that’s more convenient.’

Ariel hummed in assent and turned the card over in her hands. It was a sleek design. Expensive paper, but no frills. Very straightforward. She liked it.

Ben took the lull in conversation to step from the kitchen into the hallway.

‘If you don’t mind, I’d like to offer the services of my solicitor to take care of your side of the contracts, Ari. Just to make sure you’re not getting duped. No offense, Luke.’ He said.

‘None taken.’ said Luke, nodding his head in assent to Ben’s offer. ‘I like my business to be as transparent as possible. Not just for myself, but also for my clients. You’re welcome to come with, Ben.’

‘Yes, thank you. I’d like to see how you conduct your business, Luke. For future reference.’

Luke sent Ben what Ariel could only call a sly ‘ _You’ll be a Prosper client in no time_ ’ smile and fished his car keys from his trouser pocket. Ben answered with a ‘ _I know what you’re playing at_ ’ smile. Ariel shook her head in exasperation. _*cough*testosterone*cough*_ she thought.

‘I’m heading back to the office now. If you’d like, I could give you a lift home, Ariel. Just to avoid possible paparazzi stragglers.’

Ariel smiled at him.

‘Yes, please. I’ll just change my clothes and we can be off.’

Sophie called out from the kitchen.

‘No, that’s alright, Ari. You can keep the clothes. They’re too small on me anyway, haven’t worn them in, well, ever. I’ll just get a plastic bag to put your other clothes in. Give me a second.’

‘Wow, Sophie, thank you. Are you sure?’

‘Yes, it’s no trouble. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be right back.’ 

Having fished a bag out of one of the kitchen drawers, Sophie passed them and went upstairs to fetch Ariel’s clothes.

Ariel turned to Luke and shrugged.

‘Apparently I’m ready when you are.’

‘Great. I’ll go start the car then.’

Luke said goodbye to Ben, shaking his hand, and called a parting greeting up the stairs to Sophie, who was just starting down the stairs.

‘Bye, Luke.’ She said to the departing man and when she reached the bottom of the stairs, she handed the bag of clothes to Ariel.

‘See you later, Ariel. I’ll text you after the weekend. We’ll get together for coffee, okay? Ben will be busy with rehearsals for Hamlet and I’ve taken some time off work, so I’ll be free if you are.’ 

Ariel hugged her and nodded.

‘Yeah, that’s fine. Avery has the week off from school, so maybe we can go to the Heath and have a picnic or something. If the weather permits it.’

‘That’s a great idea. We’ll have a chat on the when and how later on.’

‘Yup. I think I still have a picnic basket laying around somewhere. I’ll let you know, Soph, and I’ll see you later, Ben. Break a leg with the rehearsals.’

Ben hugged Ariel.

‘Thanks, Ari. I hope the coming weeks will be a bit more quiet for you.’

‘Me too. See you guys!’

With a final wave, Ariel walked out the front door and hopped down the steps toward Luke’s car. She couldn’t wait to get home and make sure her children were alright after all the commotion of that morning and check if there really weren’t any paps hanging around.


	13. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Momma Bear makes an appearance... O.O

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing, except my OC's and the story I'm crafting.

**Chapter 12**

 

After having arrived home that afternoon and not finding any press-related crowds in her street or outside her front garden gate, the anxiety she’d felt brewing beneath the surface had quieted down a little.

She'd waved at Luke when he drove off and had dragged herself up the steps to her front door, still fumbling with her keys when the door had been thrown open and all three of her kids had tumbled out, surrounding her with hugs and questions.

That evening at dinner she’d explained everything that was about to happen in their lives, to her children, and all three of them were happy for her. The reactions of Arthur and Cian were as she had expected. Their lives weren’t going to change that much, since they’d be out of the picture most of the time, with Cian off to Amsterdam soon and Art off to uni in London itself. Art had then expressed an interest in staying on campus instead of at home, but Ariel had been too tired to handle that at that time, so it was put on the back burner. Which Art had understood, thankfully.

Avery had just been happy that her mum was okay and had inquired if she could stay with Sherlock when Ariel was traveling for work. Ariel had laughed and hugged her daughter, saying she would ask Sophie, but for Avery to not get her hopes up, because there would be a baby arriving very soon in Sherlock’s house.

At ten o’clock she'd called it a night, chasing her sons up the stairs to go to bed, Avery having been put to bed an hour earlier. 

When she'd finally been laying in bed, she’d texted Luke with a positive answer to his business proposal and fell asleep with her phone still in her hand, not even noticing his almost instant cheery reply.

The next morning Ariel slept in until nine. She’d awoken at seven, from feeling her phone digging into her side. She’d fished it out from under the duvet and saw that she had a message. After looking at the text she’d received from Luke, she fired an answer back - _Eleven o’clock sounds good to me. Please bring good coffee_ -, then proceeded to text Ben - _Khan! meeting at my place, eleven am. Bring cookies and solicitor.-_ and sank back into her pillow; sleep claiming her once more.

Thankfully, Avery crawled into her bed at five to nine, placing her freezing feet against Ariel’s warm back, shocking her mum into consciousness and tearing a hoarse scream from her throat, otherwise said mum would have probably still been blissfully asleep by the time eleven o'clock came around.

Groaning, Ariel pushed her daughter’s feet away from her torso and rolled off of the bed by accident, a flurry of arms, legs and duvet landing with a thump on the wooden floor. She was glad that she landed on her bum and that the duvet broke her fall, otherwise she’d be in quite a bit more pain than just a bruised ego.

A giggle was heard from the bed.

‘Oops…’

‘Oops?!’ Ariel grumbled and turned her disheveled bed-head toward her daughter. ‘I’ll show you _Oops_! I’m gonna put my cold feet on your back!’

Avery screeched with laughter as Ariel arduously climbed back onto the bed, grabbing for her daughter’s ankle with her left arm. Avery was too swift and slithered out of her mother’s reach, also falling to the ground with a thump, on the other side of the bed, laughing hysterically as she got up, fleeing into the hallway and thumping up the stairs to her own room, slamming the bedroom door in her haste. 

‘Avery! Door!’ Ariel called out.

‘Sorry mum, it slipped from my hands.’ was the muffled reply, followed by more giggles.

‘Oomph.’ Ariel breathed as she let herself fall back on the pillows, a sharp flash of pain going through her right arm. She was still pretty sore from her ordeal yesterday and falling from the bed had jostled her shoulder joint a bit more than she'd initially thought.

She pulled the wide neck of her sleep shirt away from her shoulder and inspected the damage. The bruises had turned from black to purple and were green around the edges and swollen in some places. When she tried to lift her arm it wouldn’t go up more than halfway before it stalled and had her gasping in pain. Not good. Maybe a trip to the hospital wasn’t such a bad idea. It had to wait until after the meeting, though.

She wondered if she could ask Luke to drive her. He was the one who had insisted on her visiting the ER in the first place and she was in no condition to drive herself... Maybe she could ring for a taxi? 

She’d figure it out later. 

Now, first she needed a shower and then she needed to find something casual business-like to wear, which she should be able to put on without moving her shoulder too much. 

Over an hour later Ariel was trying to apply her make-up with her left hand. Something she hoped she would never have to do again. It was a disaster. She’d taken off the eyeliner she’d tried to apply because that just wasn’t going to happen today.

She had been able to shower and wash her hair with one hand and even dried and dressed herself without too much trouble, even though it was very slow going, but putting on the make-up took a bit more finesse. 

Eventually she just left it at a bit of BB-cream and powder, some eyeshadow and a dab of mascara. That would have to do. It wasn’t like either Luke or Ben hadn’t seen her in worse circumstances.

She pulled the towel from her hair and decided a quick blow-dry would have to do. Being one-handed was getting annoying, fast. 

After putting on her glasses and pulling down her dark blue blouse to straighten it out, she made her way downstairs with twenty minutes to spare.

Quickly she started tidying up and picked up some random stuff laying around in the sitting room and deposited it in their designated places. Barbie into the toy box, Ken too, pillows on the sofa instead of on the rug in front of the TV, uni papers from Arthur back in the bookcase, same for the stray iPod she found under one of the throw-pillows, both for him to take upstairs later on. Straightening a few trinkets on the cabinet, starting up her MacBook on the dining table to check her email and after that depositing a few left behind drinking glasses into the sink in the kitchen, had her ready to go at five to eleven.

She sat down at the dining table and started to sift through her emails. Apparently a few of her Dutch friends had seen the videos on the internet and inquired if she was okay. She decided to answer them all at the same time, with promises to contact each person later on to go into more detail. She just hadn't any time at this moment. 

At two minutes past eleven she heard the front door opening and two distinct male voices talking. Frowning, she got up and looked around the doorjamb of the living room, wondering if she left the door unlocked.

Ah, it was Cian, who’d come back from a run, keys in hand while talking animatedly to Luke, who was dressed sharply in very well tailored charcoal grey skinny jeans, a black short-sleeved polo shirt and black leather Chelsea boots and was juggling a tray with six large cups of coffee, a briefcase, a black leather jacket and his car keys. Luke laughed at something Cian had said and Cian grinned at him, offering to relieve him from his coat and hang it on the coat rack.

They hadn’t noticed her yet and she observed their interaction with great interest, and maybe a bit of alarm. They seemed so at ease with each other, even though they’d never met before. It was not like her son, to be so open to strangers. He was more of an introvert, observing situations and weighing the pros and cons of interacting before becoming engaged in a conversation with someone he’d just met. 

Cian, apparently proudly continuing his story about how he was following in his mum’s footsteps, going into the arts, took the coat and hung it on the rack. Luke nodded at one of his questions about promoting art and answered in the affirmative. He seemed to be having difficulty averting his eyes from Cian’s glistening face, which was still sweating after his run.

Both men were the same height, but Luke was a bit more gangly than her solidly built son. Cian ran five to ten miles every day and went to the gym three to four times a week. He was a bit of a health freak and even at just seventeen he was already more built than most men twice his age. Add to that the long dark brown hair that came to halfway down his back -currently pulled back into a ponytail-, dark brown eyes with thick lashes, curved black eyebrows and his strong jawline and wide cheekbones that grew more pronounced by the day because of disappearing baby-cheeks, and you had a dark version of a viking warrior. Of course she thought her son was beautiful -what mother didn’t think their children were the most beautiful children in the world-, but by the enchanted look that fleetingly ghosted over Luke’s face when Cian turned his back to hang the coat and was hidden again when he turned back, he thought so too.

She saw Luke fishing a card from his left jeans pocket.

‘I’ll check out your work. just text me the web address. If you are half as good as your mum, I think you’ll be alright, and if you ever need a London based publicist, give me a call. I’d be happy to represent you.’ He handed Cian his card and smiled.

Cian looked down at the card with surprise and then shot Luke a mischievous grin.

‘Thanks, man! I appreciate it! Well, I’m off, time to shower and change into something a bit more cottony and dry and then I’m gonna try and annoy my little sister for the rest of the day. See ya around!’

And with that and a wave he bounded up the stairs to the first floor and then to the second floor two steps at a time.

The moment Cian was out of sight, Luke’s shoulders, and his 'happy' mask, dropped as he looked up to where the young man had disappeared in the stairwell. He looked so forlorn and sad all of a sudden.

Ariel looked at his profile as he drew in a deep breath and seemed to recollect himself, closing his eyes and dropping his head forward, chin touching chest.

‘Fuck.’ He breathed out softly, squeezing his eyes closed even tighter.  
  
It was at that moment that Ariel realised he was very lonely. Working hard at his dream, being successful, but no time to really connect with anyone on a less superficial level. 

It tore at her heart, because, even though Luke usually appeared to be in his late twenties or early thirties, he looked so much younger in that moment, and so vulnerable.

She had been planning on giving him a piece of her mind on appropriateness with respect to the business relationship they were about to embark on and on age differences. Then she realised she wasn’t really the one to speak up about that, with a husband who had been almost ten years older than she had been when they got together when she was eighteen. 

A soft sigh involuntarily escaped her and she saw the shock that went through Luke’s body when he realised he wasn’t alone in the hallway. His head lifted and he turned her way, face flushing and his eyes avoiding hers.

‘I, um, I brought coffee.’ He croaked, being uncharacteristically subdued and unsure of himself. Clearing his throat, he chanced a look into her eyes.

Ariel hummed and walked to him, taking the tray and balancing it against her left hip.

She stepped up into his space and she had to admire the fact that he didn’t flinch back and stood his ground. He did look worried though. 

_Good,_ she thought, _I’m not one to be trifled with when it comes to my kids._

‘He may not look it, but he’s only seventeen, and he will be for eleven more months; which means, last month he was still only sixteen years old. Now, how old are you?’ She asked.

‘Thirty-one.’ He said, softly; looking contrite.

‘You see how fourteen years of age difference, and with it a shitload of life experiences, is a point of worry for me?’ She said pointedly.

He nodded, avoiding her eyes again in apparent shame. He was clearly getting ready for things -her- to blow up in his face.

‘He will be heading to Amsterdam after the summer holidays. Art school and student life are going to be his main focus for the coming four years, if not a bit longer. He needs to grow into that body of his, mentally and emotionally. He needs to explore the world with people his own age. I hope you can respect that.’

He nodded again, his stance very tense.

‘I can.’ He said, clenching his jaw.

‘Now, that being said, I know my son, and that click that just happened between you two isn’t something I’ve seen before when it comes to him. He’s usually very withdrawn with people that aren’t his close friends or his family; he has been like that ever since he was small and it takes a long time for him to let his guard down... And those last few things he said? That was him flirting…’

She let that sink in for a few seconds and saw when it dawned on him that she wasn’t warning him off permanently.

‘What?’ He said, disbelievingly, eyes wide as they sought out hers.

‘What I know of my children, Luke, is that they don’t let anyone dictate their lives; not even me. They like whom they like and they fall in love with whom they fall in love with... So, what I’m asking of you is, that you don’t actively pursue a relationship. You do not coerce my son in any way and you let the chips fall as they may. Let him come to you, even if it takes him years to realise you are there. Practice patience and let him be young and free, until he is ready to see you for who you are as a person, and not for what you are and what you do and what you can do for him, career wise... Do not lure him in before that time, don’t make or extract promises that neither of you can keep and do not allow the relationship be one of inequality. The way things are now, you hold all the power and he has none. 

'Basically, what I’m saying is, try to be his friend first and if you can’t do that, be a business acquaintance of his mum; wait a few years. If you’re meant to be together, you will be, and if you find someone better suited to you and your busy lifestyle and the pressures of your career, so be it, no hard feelings. 

'I won’t stand between you two, but I will step in to protect my son. You break his heart or his spirit, and I will break you; I will tear you down to a place where you don’t come back from. And that’s a promise I _will_ keep. Are we clear?’

She held his gaze sternly, without blinking, and he nodded, seeming pretty intimidated in spite of her sort of blessing for a sort of friendship with Cian. 

‘Crystal.’ He breathed, visibly relieved she hadn’t given him the dressing down he’d expected and in his mind clearly deserved for being so affected by this young adult. He was already mentally kicking himself for being so weak and stupid. Usually he fell for men his own age or ones slightly older than him, never younger. He must have been more tired than he’d previously thought.

Ariel kicked his foot to shake him from his thoughts and pensively eyed him for a few more seconds. Then she sighed and turned toward the sitting room.

‘Come on, let’s get this legal stuff over with and drink some coffee.’

It was then, that Ben and his solicitor decided to ring the doorbell, breaking the tension between artist and publicist.

‘It’s okay, Luke, just respect everyone’s boundaries.’ Ariel said and gestured for Luke to open the front door.

‘Okay.’ Luke said and breathed deeply in and out, while he let his professional mask slide back over his face, nodding at Ariel before opening the door and greeting Ben and the solicitor.


	14. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Contracts, Solicitors and Rowdy Kids... Oh, and Cookies!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know nothing.
> 
> I own nothing.
> 
> I just like to write... stuff...

**Chapter 13**

 

‘We brought cookies! As requested.’ Ben announced teasingly when he entered the dining room, holding up a paper bag from Chamomile’s and shaking it a bit.

Ariel looked up from where she was carefully placing the tray with coffee on the dining room table. Not that easy when one could only use one arm properly.

‘That’s fantastic.’ She smiled. ‘Luke brought big cups of coffee, so we’re all set to start this meeting.’

Ben looked from Ariel to Luke and back again, frowning.

‘Wait, he brought coffee? What are you bringing to the table, Ari?’

Ariel flopped down on one of the dining room chairs and grabbed a coffee.

‘My pretty eyes, stellar ass and bubbly personality.’ She declared haughtily, fluttering her lashes at him mockingly and taking a sip of the heavenly nectar.

‘Fair enough.’ Ben snickered, clearly preferring the return of sassy Ariel over subdued and shaken Ariel he’d met yesterday. He turned to the woman he’d brought with him, who was watching the exchange with humour sparkling in her eyes.

‘Ariel, meet Jess Rosen, my solicitor. Jess, this is Ariel Dekker, the artist; and a friend.’

Jess Rosen extended a hand to Ariel, a friendly smile on her lips.

‘Nice to meet you, Ms Dekker.’

‘Please, call me Ariel.’ Ariel said, extending her left hand and shaking Ms Rosen’s right hand awkwardly, while rising from her seat. ‘Sorry for not shaking with my right, but that side has been a bit banged up since yesterday morning.’

‘Then you must call me Jess. I’ve heard about the altercation. I hope you’ll have it checked out later today?’ Jess inquired, obviously noticing the stiff way Ariel held herself to prevent more pain than necessary. The woman exchanged a meaningful look with Ben. They’d obviously discussed her predicament before their arrival.

‘Yes, I’ve been meaning to ask if you could drive me to the hospital, Ben? I seem to be quite a bit more impaired than I previously thought I’d be.’ Turning to Ben she raised her eyebrows imploringly.

Ben nodded. 

‘Of course, and after that we’re going to the police and report it.’

Ariel sighed at Ben’s blunt manipulation.

‘Alright, alright, you were right yesterday, of course. Sleeping on it, literally, has made me see the error of my ways. I agree with also paying a visit to the constabulary and reporting the fucker who did this to me. Yada yada yada…’ she deadpanned.

Ben hummed, happy that Ariel was listening to reason.

‘But first,’ Ariel continued, ‘let’s get this stuff over with. Luke, if you would be so kind to give the contracts to Jess, so she can read them and tell me if I’m about to give you my firstborn in exchange for publicity or if all is in order for us to proceed as planned.’

Luke introduced himself to Jess and they all sat down at the table, Jess and Ben on one side, Luke and Ariel on the other, taking a coffee each from the tray and, all but Jess, nibbling on Ben’s proffered cookies, while Jess read over the presented documents. 

‘Well,’ Jess said eventually, ‘Everything seems to be in order. Nothing out of the ordinary; no killer clauses and no firstborns sacrificed. If I’m being honest, this is one of the most transparent contracts I’ve ever seen in show business. Beautiful in its simplicity. It boils down to, you don’t fuck with me and I won’t fuck with you; just let me do the job you hired me to do and if we want to part ways we will do so in an orderly fashion, without mutual fuckery and with adequate compensation for revenues lost after termination within the first eighteen months, from either side. You want to go, you go; you decide to fuck with me, you go; and you only pay what you owe. No exorbitant amounts of money lost on crooked penalties’

Jess looked up at Luke, apparently thoroughly impressed.

‘You, sir, are a very smart man. You are a risk taker, but what a revenue it would yield when that risk pays off. Not only in income for your company, but also in building a bond and an unprecedented trust with your clients in a world where everyone else is about covering their own asses and getting rich and preferably famous as fast as humanly possible without much care for who is getting duped in the process... You, sir, are all about building personal relationships with your clients and finding what fits them and you’re aiming at a slow steady build to success on a solid foundation. You’re in it for the long haul and not for the fast buck, so to speak.’

Luke nodded, visibly pleased with Jess’ analysis of the contract.

‘That is exactly what I intend to do. It’s what I’ve been doing for the past nine months and what I will be doing in the years to come.’ He smiled contently.

Jess looked at Ariel.

‘I usually don’t let my personal feelings show when in such a meeting as this, but today I’ll make an exception. I recommend you sign this. It’s the best contract you’ll be able to get in this entire wicked world of arts and show business. You won’t find another public relations firm like this one, where they build on humanity instead of on how much money you can make them.’

Ariel smiled.

‘Okay, that’s all I needed to know, thank you.’

Ben leant forward in his chair.

‘And it’s all I needed to hear. Jess, how fast do you think my contract with World PR can be annulled?’

‘Well, we’re already suing them on grounds of neglect of contractual agreements and we’re winning, so I think they’d be happy to see you go.’

‘Great, set everything in motion to make it so and contact Luke when all is dealt with. I want him to be my publicist as well.’

Jess laughed.

‘Okay, consider it done, boss... Well, Luke, it looks like you’re about to become a big hit amongst the UK’s most talented actors and artists. They’ll be flocking to your door in no time. I foresee you’re going to have to begin screening clients and you’re going to have to turn people down within the next few years. Just take care to weed out the bad apples and keep the good ones. When all is said and done, you’ll be well on your way in becoming a PR firm with a very exclusive clientele.’

Luke opened his mouth to make a comment, but was interrupted by a loud, high pitched delighted shriek coming form upstairs, immediately followed by a low, hoarse and displeased bellow, a hard bang, a lot of thumps on the wooden floors, more bellowing and squealing laughter interspersed with a lower, very sadistic sounding, laugh.

Ariel found herself the sudden centre of attention of three pairs of surprised, inquiring eyes.

‘Owgods.’ She groaned and head-desked the tabletop.

Looking up at the other adults sitting at the table she grimaced.

‘Welcome to my painfully unprofessional and chaotic professional life, guys. It appears I have an infestation of banshees in the attic.’ she said, chuckling, feeling a bit embarrassed.

It sounded like an army of elephants was thumping down the stairs, accompanied by girlish squeaks and grumbling from one of the males in her family, while the other one was laughing hysterically upstairs.

‘No, Art, it wasn’t me, I swear. It was Cian! It was Cian! No don’t!’ Another shriek sounded and Avery shot into the living room, Arthur on her heels, trying to catch her.

‘Come here, you menace!’ He growled and grabbed her, slinging her over his shoulder, making Avery shriek again and then burst out in laughter.

‘Cian! Help! He got me! Cian! Help me!’ She screamed in the direction of the hallway while pushing herself up from her brothers back, which she was hanging upside down from, small hands scrambling for grip on his t-shirt and feet trying to kick Art’s chest.

Cian bounded down the stairs and entered the living room, trying to free his sister from their brother’s grip, but Art was keeping him at arms length with his free hand. At six foot four, Art was taller and built a bit more stringy than his brother, with long wiry limbs, which he used at that moment to keep Cian at a distance and Avery pinned over his shoulder.

‘Aw, come on, Art. Let her go, it was just a joke!’ Cian laughed.

‘The fuck it was! I was sleeping, you arse! You two almost shocked me into a heart attack!’ Growled Arthur, clearly not amused.

‘Aaaarrrrt! You’ve gotten my clothes all soggy! Ugh!’ Avery was unsuccessfully trying to wiggle out of her brother’s grip. She slapped his lower back and a distinct splat of skin hitting wet cloth was heard by the four adults in the adjoining dining room. 

By the look of them, Ben, Jess and Luke were trying to hold in their laughter. Ariel was relieved none of them were put out by the spectacle.

‘Jesus, Art, it was just a bit of water!’

‘That was _not_ just a bit of water! That was half the _North Atlantic_ you dumped on me!’ Art dramatically declared and he started to bodily shove his brother to the side, very pissed off by now.

Ariel decided it was time to intervene before murders were committed. She loudly cleared her throat as she rose from her chair, causing the three siblings in the adjoining room to freeze for at least ten seconds. 

The two young men then slowly turned toward her, faces telling onlookers they well knew they were up shit creek without a paddle. Them turning around, caused Avery to be hidden behind Arthur’s back, still upside down, but she wasn’t one to be in that predicament for long, so she grabbed Art’s bicep to pull herself around her brother’s arm.

Peeking past his elbow her eyes grew wide when she saw her irate mum and a bunch of official looking people she didn’t know, stare at them.

Wait, she knew one of them.

‘Oh, hi Sherlock!’ She squeaked, grinning at the man who was clearly trying to stop himself from laughing out loud at seeing her brother’s guilty faces. He gave her a grin and a half-wave, which were quickly disguised as a grimace and a hand scratching at his cheek when her mum sent him a scathing look. Avery felt a nervous giggle escape her throat. Oops. Maybe teaming up with Cian hadn’t been such a good idea… But it had sounded like so much fun before. Groaning, she let go of her brother’s arm and let herself hang upside down again. Blissfully hidden from her mother’s glare, behind Art’s back

‘What is going on here?’ Ariel’s stern voice cut through the uneasy silence.

Art and Cian looked at each other and simultaneously shrugged in exactly the same way, betraying them for the twins they were, before looking back at their mum. A small cry of distress was heard from behind Art’s back.

‘For chrissakes, Art, let your sister down, before she passes out from all the blood flowing to her head.’ Ariel face palmed. ‘You know, I’m in a meeting here. I don’t wanna deal with this now. We’ll discuss this later. Art, go put some dry clothes on. Cian, Ave, put Art’s bedsheets in the dryer and then carry his mattress downstairs and to the garden. Might as well dry it out as good as we can now that the sun is still shining.’ She sighed, waving her hand at her kids.

All three siblings scrambled to get out of the room and up the stairs, almost falling over each other. By the looks on their faces they very much realised how lucky they’d just been that other people were present, and that their mum didn’t have the time or energy to hand out punishments, like grounding them for a month, or doling out a week of extra chores for all three of them.

‘Well, um, those must be a handful…’ Jess chuckled.

Ariel sighed.

‘You have _no_ idea.’

Then she turned to Ben.

‘Enjoy your peace and quiet while you can; before you know it, your life is one hectic mess.’ She winked at him and Ben grinned.

‘Looking forward to it.’ He confessed, his smile widening.

The rest of the meeting was wrapped up within ten minutes. Contracts were signed by both parties and officiated by Jess, while Ariel’s two youngest children wrestled a big, damp mattress down two flights of stairs and out into the garden, growling and cursing at each other. 

Before he left, Luke promised he’d call Ariel in the coming week to discuss public appearances at a few art show openings and some comic conventions.

Ariel walked him to the door while Ben and Jess were still in the dining room, talking about getting him out from under his old PR contract.

‘You know… I understand what you meant, now, about your son being still so young. He seemed so collected and adult when I spoke to him earlier, but that last scuffle with his siblings put things in perspective for me. I’m officially stepping back from any personal involvement in his life.’ Luke said, when he stepped through the front door and turned back to her. 

‘I’m glad to hear it.’ Ariel smiled, relieved. 

Luke nodded.

‘I’ll call you soon, okay?’ He extended his left hand to shake hers, but she pulled him into a sideways hug.

‘Thank you, Luke. For everything.’ She patted her left hand on his shoulder and released him.

Luke smiled a closed lipped, friendly smile and hopped down the stairs towards his car. 

As he opened up the driver side door it suddenly hit him. He sharply looked back at the tiny woman in the door opening. Smiling she raised her hand to wave at him. Looking so damn innocent.

He threw his head in his neck and let out a hearty laugh. This woman was going to keep him on his toes with her cunning mind. 

She had just achieved that something that she didn’t want to happen, wouldn’t happen, by telling him she would allow it to happen if he was willing to wait. 

She hadn’t explicitly forbidden him to see her son because that would have had the opposite, and a for her undesirable, effect. He would have gone for the ‘forbidden’ fruit, just because he couldn’t have it. Ambition was in his nature. And she had seen this. She had played into it and then steered him away from it.

By allowing him to see that her son was nothing more than a teenager, a child still, by some standards, she had quelled any ideas that were in his head about pursuing a relationship. He wasn’t some pervert preying on young men, and she had known this.

The woman would have made a fantastic publicist or a very dangerous con-woman, he thought, impressed. She saw through most people’s masks and intentions in a way he didn’t encounter very often. And she instinctively knew how to gently -or sometimes not so gently- steer people to where she wanted them, or at least to where they would do the least damage to her or her loved ones. 

Good thing she only used her powers for good and didn’t have any ambition in the PR business, he snickered to himself, she would’ve played him off the field.

It did make him suspect that it wasn’t just a happy coincidence that the way she'd handled that man in the tearoom yesterday, had gotten her and Sophie out of there as unharmed as they were. But in spite of getting them out of there alive, it was still a very dangerous game she had played. He’d have to have a talk with her about that, in the future. Lots of weirdos and creeps on the road to fame.

He got into his car and pulled out of his parking space. Time to go do something about the PR nightmare Tom had gotten himself into.

Waving at Luke’s car as he pulled away from the curb, Ariel stepped back inside and closed the front door. At that moment Jess and Ben entered the hallway. Jess ready to go back to her office and Ben ready to take Ariel to hospital.

Ariel retrieved her handbag from the kitchen and called out to her children that she was going to get her shoulder checked out at the hospital and for them to behave, or else.

The subdued answers she received from upstairs convinced her that she could afford to be gone for the next few hours without coming back to a slaughter.

They pulled the front door closed behind them and Ben and Ariel said goodbye to Jess, who got into her car and drove off.

Ben and Ariel made their way to Ben’s car when suddenly there was a man in front of them, taking pictures.

‘Ben! Is Ms Dekker your mistress? Are you sick of Sophie being a pregnant drag? You having a nice little sexy girl on the side, huh? Ms Dekker! How is Ben in bed?’

Ben’s countenance changed from friendly to menacing in a heartbeat. Ariel was flabbergasted as Ben tried to steer her around the pap.

‘What?!’ She started laughing. ‘Are you mad? That’s preposterous.’ And she laughed laughed even harder. The man was clearly taken by surprise and he lowered his camera to stare at Ariel as if she was the one that had gone mad.

Ariel elbowed Ben in the ribs, raising her eyebrows at him in silent warning. 

‘My God, I haven’t laughed like this in quite a while. Don’t you think this man is hilarious, Ben?’ Wiping away a mock tear from the side of her eye, she laughed some more.

Ben, getting the hint, started laughing too and clapped the pap on the shoulder in -fake- appreciation.

‘Man, that _is_ hilarious! You should do stand-up comedy!’ He giggled, eyes sparkling. He wasn’t a nominated actor for nothing. He could do this. 

As both of them got into the car and buckled up, Ariel chanced a glance at the man who was still standing on the sidewalk, looking at them in confusion, eyebrows drawn together.

This time Ariel sincerely laughed.

‘Would you just look at him, poor guy doesn’t even know what hit him.’ she giggled.

Just as Ben pulled out of the parking spot he glanced at the man and he burst out laughing as they drove away; only this time it was genuine.

‘Hah! Don’t get angry, get even. He wanted distress; he wanted anger. What he got was two people looking surprised and then laughing their arses off. He can’t spin it into infidelity if all the pics are showing two people laughing at him. It just doesn’t sell.’

Ben chuckled.

‘You sure you’re not a publicist yourself?’ He inquired.

‘Puh-lease! You don’t stay married to a marketing exec for fifteen years and not pick anything up! All those business meetings disguised as dinners I’ve had to sit through as a wife, listening to endless business drivel and pretending to be interested and engaged in the conversation, are finally paying off.’ She snickered.

As Ben pulled into the hospital car park she tried to persuade him to go home to Sophie and that she’d be okay without him hanging around, but he wouldn’t hear it. He insisted on staying with her in hospital and then take her to the police station afterwards to file a report.


	15. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hospitals & Texts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What can I say, I love to write. 
> 
> This is my Sandbox. 
> 
> I own nothing but my OC's and this story.

**Chapter 14**

 

It took the better part of two hours, filled with waiting and sitting through x-rays, tests and treatment, before they were headed to the hospital exit again. Within their possession was a very detailed physical assault report on what the sustained injuries were. The doctor had insisted to write the report himself, after seeing who he was treating. He had seen the video and was outraged on Ariel’s behalf.

On the way back to the car Ariel tried to shift her bandaged arm into a more comfortable position. The sling it was in, pulled on her neck a bit. 

It turned out that the ligament in her shoulder joint had a tear and she was to keep it as immobile as possible for the coming weeks so it could heal properly.

‘Keep that still.’ Ben ordered.

‘Yes, sir!’ Ariel mock saluted him, and then hissed as she jostled her arm a bit too much.

‘Told you! Just keep it still.’ Ben repeated, a bit exasperated.

‘Yeah, yeah, let’s just find the car and get it all over with, shall we.’ Ariel grumbled. She’d been poked and prodded a bit too much today. She was hurting and she was longing for a quiet, late afternoon and evening at home.

Pushing her sliding glasses back up her nose Ariel spotted the car and headed in that direction, Ben on her heels.

The police station wasn’t that far away from the hospital and they could have walked, but Ariel was reluctant to ask because she knew Ben was a bit apprehensive to just walk around showing his face all over Belsize Park and Hampstead after all that had happened in the past week. There were too many tourists about with the weather being so nice. She understood his need for privacy and not wanting to be stopped by adoring fans every couple hundred meters, so she got into the car without complaining and let Ben drive them to the constabulary.

It turned out that Ben had already called ahead while Ariel was in the doctor’s office and the man at the front desk was expecting them. They were sent through to an office where a very friendly female police officer was waiting for them.

After telling her story and sending all the online links to the videos of the incident, and the pictures Luke had taken the day before, to the woman’s police email address they were dismissed and assured the police took bodily harm and threats very seriously and that they would look into it.

Ariel had a feeling that her case would be archived sooner than she’d like, but at least she’d reported it.

 

It was twenty past three when they finally pulled up to her house again.

She turned to Ben and thanked him for all his help that day as she fished her house keys out of her bag. 

‘Tell Sophie I said hi and I’ll call her after the weekend to arrange the day and time of our picnic. You have a good week with rehearsals, Ben.’

Ben leaned over the car’s mid-console and hugged her from the side.  ‘Thanks, darling. Will do. I’ll see you later.’

After exiting the car she stood on the sidewalk to wave when Ben drove off and then made her way up the stairs to her front door. 

 

The rest of the afternoon flew by and that evening she went to bed early, shoulder and arm starting to hurt again as she was due for another painkiller. She was afraid the recovery was going to take a bit longer than she had anticipated. 

At first she’d been high on adrenaline and it hadn’t seemed that serious, but now at the end of the second day, she was a bit more apprehensive about telling herself she’d be okay within the next week.  After bringing Avery to bed, she turned in herself. Art and Cian were already in their rooms, and by the sound of it they were playing an online game with their friends.

Leaning back against the pillows she decided to read a bit before bed and picked up the book she’d bought last week that was on her bedside cabinet.  It was the latest book from Neil Gaiman and it was quite entertaining. She read until her eyes grew heavy and then put the book and her glasses back on the cabinet.  Just before she turned off the bedside lamp her phone lit up with a message. She checked the time. 10pm. Her eyebrows rose up in surprise. Who would text her at this time?

Opening up the screen of her phone she scrolled to the messages app.

 

22:00 Unknown number - _Hi Ariel, how are you doing?_

Ariel raised an eyebrow. What the hell… Unknown number? She didn’t know enough people in London yet for someone unknown to have her number. The only ones who had this number were her kids, her mum, Ben and Sophie and, since that morning, Luke.

22:03 Ariel - _Who is this and how did you get my number?_

22:03 Unknown number - _Oh, I’m so sorry! It’s Tom. Tom Hiddleston. I heard from Sophie that your injury is a bit more serious than you thought. I wanted_ _to say sorry again for yesterday. I feel so terrible for saying those horrible things to you. All I can say is that it was unforgivable and that I don't know how to make it up to you._

Ariel blew out a breath in exasperation. That man had some nerve, daring to contact her like this, and at this hour, after all that had transpired between them. Who the hell had given him her number?... It had to either have been one of the Cumberbatches, or Luke.

22:06 Ariel - _Who gave you my number?_

22:07 Tom - _Sophie. Ben isn’t talking to me right now and Luke doesn’t give out client’snumbers. I had to do a lot of groveling and begging before Sophie relinquishedyour number. You’d think it was the code to the safe containing the crown jewels or something.She’s still pissed at me by the way, but after I explained the why of my behaviour, although it doesn't excuse anything I said to you, she became a bit more acquiescent in aiding me._

Dammit, Sophie! Ariel sighed. Although she was a bit peeved by Sophie caving so fast, she did understand why Sophie had eventually delivered her mobile number to Tom. The woman was trying to mend things between him and Ben by trying to mend things between Tom and Ariel. She was about to give birth to her first child and she wasn’t intent on having any discord between the two friends. She was a peacemaker until the end.

22:09 Ariel - _Well, I can’t say I’m happy about this after all that bullshit you pulled. You have any idea of the fucking time?_

22:11 Tom - _Oh fuck, so sorry, I appear to still be on night-shoot time._

22:11 Tom - _I just keep fucking this up don’t I? :(_

22:12 Ariel - _It would appear so, yes. You’re an ass._

22:13 Tom - _Not one to sugarcoat things are you?_

22:15 Ariel - _I call it as it is. Take it or leave it._

22:15 Tom - _Tough cookie huh?_

22:16 Ariel - _More like: Pissed off Woman. Scorned. Hell. Fury. Take your pick. Now if youdon’t mind, I’d like to go to sleep. Arm hurting like a mofo even afterpainkillers._

22:17 Tom - _Oh god, I’m so so sorry! Were you in bed already? Shit._

22:17 Ariel -  _Good night._

She dropped her phone on the bedside table and laid back down. Just before she closed her eyes, her phone lit up again. Grumbling, she picked it up once more.

22:18 Tom - How _are you feeling?_

Ariel sighed irritably. The man couldn't take a hint. Blah blah blah.

22:19 Ariel - _I got mauled by this big dude yesterday. Tore a ligament in my shoulder. In a fair amount of pain rn. How do you think I feel?! Wanna sleep._

22:19 Tom - _Right, of course. Just one more thing. Could I please have a chance toexplain myself to you? Face to face? I just want to set things right._

22:20 Ariel - _And_ p _eople in Hell want Slurpees. Can’t always have what you want dude._

22:21 Tom - _Please?_

... ...

22:23 Tom - _Please? Ariel?_

Ariel huffed and stared at her phone. Why wouldn't he just stop?!

22:26 Tom - _Please allow me to explain? I fly back to Mallorca on Monday and I won’t beback in Town for a month. I don’t want to let things hang like this. I really want to make amends. I understand that you’re angry and hurt and I know I don’t have the right to ask you this, but I just want everything between us to be okay. If not for us, then for Ben and Sophie. They’ve got enough stress as it is at the moment with the press, and the baby about to arrive._

‘Shiiiiiiiiit! Motherfucker!’ Ariel growled, dropping the phone in her lap and hitting the duvet with her left hand in powerless anger. 

Playing the Sophie card. That bastard! If only he hadn't brought that to the table, she’d be able to refuse to talk to him for the rest of her life. But the arse was fucking right. This discord between them was putting stress on Ben and Sophie. She didn’t want to be the one to contribute even more stress to an already stressful situation, especially with a new mother and a baby in the mix.

22:32 Tom - _Ariel? Is everything alright? Did you fall asleep? Do I need to call Ben to  get him to check up on you?_

22:32 Ariel - _Yeah, I’m fine, you asshole!_

22:32 Tom - _Hah, there you are. I thought you’d passed out or something._

22:33 Ariel - _Almost. From you being such a manipulative little shit. The stench is horrid!_

22:33 Ariel - I _can’t believe the nerve of you pulling the Sophie-card on me!_

22:34 Ariel - _OK, fine, we’ll meet. I want neutral ground. No private residences. And no fucking three star Michelin restaurants. I like my clandestine meetings a bit more off the beaten track._

22:35 Tom - _Agreed. I know a place. It’s a pub on Haverstock Hill. They have a mean Sunday Roast. It’s delicious. And it has a few pretty private seatingarrangements._

22:37 Ariel - _I’m a vegetarian. No dead animal for me, thanks._

22:37 Tom - _Driving a hard bargain eh? They have a veggie menu too. :)_

22:39 Ariel - _Fine. What time? Address?_

22:40 Tom - _Around 16:00 okay with you? It’s the Sir Richard Steele pub, 97 HaverstockHill._

22:42 Ariel - _Great, 2morrw, 1600, I’ll b there. Now lemme sleep._

22:43 Tom - _Okay, see you tomorrow! Good Night. I hope you’ll get some sleep with that painful arm._

22:45 Ariel - _Sure. I’d say good night to you too, but that would be a lie. C u l8r._

22:47 Tom - _Ooh, that's cold! O.O_

22:49 Ariel - _Yeah, that’s from Hell just freezing over. Not exactly surprised you felt that._

22:50 Tom - _I almost choked on my tea._

22:51 Ariel - _Too bad you didn’t see it through._

22:51 Ariel - _Not too late to try again though. Please do try._

22:53 Tom - _I think I like you. :)_

22:54 Ariel - _Could you just stop texting?_

22:55 Tom - _Why? So you can have the last word? ;)_

22:56 Ariel - _Fuck. Off._

22:58 Tom - _Sleep tight. :)_

23:00 Ariel - _What’s with the smilies all of a sudden? It’s creeping me out._

23:10 Ariel - _Tom?_

23:15 Ariel - _Ugh, fine, be that way._

23:20 Ariel - _At least I got in the last word, thank you very much. Ariel out._

 

…..

 

…..

 

23:59:57 Tom - _No you didn’t. :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) 3:-) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)_


	16. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the Sunday Roast Pre-Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who left me some of those awesome kudos. Yay! :D

**Chapter 15**

 

Ariel awoke the next morning at eleven thirty, thanks to her phone, which was chiming with text messages. She grumbled at the offending piece of technology. Her body felt almost hung over, only without the headache. Her head was a bit cottony, though. _Must be from the painkillers_. She thought.

She heard Cian and Avery chatting downstairs. They were probably having a late breakfast - early lunch sort of thing. She wondered if Arthur was still asleep. He probably fell into a game-coma after defeating an army of Orcs. He and Cian had still been slaughtering their enemies when she fell asleep last night.

Groaning from the painful stiffness in her shoulder, she turned to her side and picked up her phone to check what was so important that it resulted in texts appearing in rapid succession on her phone.

Pulling up the messaging app she saw Tom’s last message from the night before, and, in spite of everything, she had to suppress snicker. 

‘Cheeky bastard’ She huffed.

The rest of the texts were from Sophie.

 

11:23 Sophie - _OMG I’m so sorry, Ariel!I know it wasn’t right to give him your number, butI just wanted everything to be okay again between Ben and Tom. Ben has been so angry with him. It’s all so sad. :(_

11:25 Sophie - _Tom just kept asking. Saying how he was so very sorry and wanted tomake everything right. How he’d do anything to make it right, if I just gave him your number._

11:26 Sophie - _Has he contacted you yet? I hope he’s waited until today. I asked him to. It was quite late for him to contact someone he doesn’t really know, etiquette wise. Did he wait?_

11:28 Sophie - _Knowing Tom, he probably didn’t. He’s always been a bit of a dunce when itcomes to personal relationships and making up for things he did wrong._

11:29 Sophie - _Are you angry with me? I’d totally understand if you are. I’m so sorry._

11:30 Sophie - _Are you awake yet? Ben said they gave you some very groovy painkillers and that you’d probably be out for the night and even a big part of the morning._

11:37 Sophie - _Can you please contact me as soon as you’re awake? I’m getting a bitworried now… I hope you still want to talk to me. :( I’m so so sorry. :’(_

 

Ariel sighed and shook her head to herself.  How did she ever get herself into this whole situation? She always used to be so level headed and calm. Steering clear of trouble when she could. 

Maybe she’d just gotten to an age where she was tired of always keeping poised and being the ‘good, silent girl’ she was perceived as.  It wasn’t that she regretted her recent flip to a ‘fuck it all’ attitude, but it just brought so much more drama to her life. Couldn’t say it wasn't interesting though. 

 

11:40 Ariel - _Hey Soph! Can’t say I wasn't a bit peeved last night, but after sleeping on it fora whole 12!!! hours (Yay! :D ), I’ve decided that you’re not to blame. Mr Hiddleston is playing to win and you were just a lowly pawn in hismanipulative strategy. Just woke up, so that’s why I didn’t answer straightaway._

11:42 Sophie - _Oh thank god! I thought I’d just lost myself the only friend I have. I’m soglad you slept well. I’ll take it from your answer that Tom has been in contact with you last night? How did it go?_

11:44 Ariel - _Yeah, he’s been quite the contrite little shit. Agreed to meet him for Sunday Roast at Steele’s this afternoon. He said he’s got stuff to tell me that will shine a bit of light on his behaviour._

11:48 Sophie - _Well, I guess that’s an improvement to him accusing you of foul things, right? I’ve heard everything he’s about to tell you, and it’s not pretty. He’sbeen at his mum’s since last night and I’ve heard she wasn’t happy with him and what he’s gotten himself into. At. All._ _I don’t know what he’s told her about you though. I think he’s left out how he has verbally ballyragged one of Ben’s friends, because he’s apparently still very much alive and kicking. She would have hung, drawn and quarteredhim for such despicable behaviour. She’s a very sweet mum, but she doesn’t suffer foolish or boorish behaviour very well. Especially from her children._

11:51 Ariel - _Care to shine any light on this, in his eyes, mega valid excuse he’s been able to cook up?_

11:56 Sophie - _Sorry, Ari, but that story isn’t for me to disclose. I think he’s about to dosomething that goes against all his instincts that are honed to preserve hisprivacy. He’s about to pull a feat that’s unheard of in his life, especially nowhe’s been in the spotlight so much and I’m not going to break his trust in me justto settle your curiosity. He’s decided to trust you with some verysensitive personal information that could harm his career and his private life and he’s going to count on you to keep it close to your chest and notout it to the press. Pulling someone he’s only interacted with twice, into hisinner circle is practically unheard of. The fact that both Luke and myselfhave vouched for your integrity might have something to do with itthough. ;)_

11:59 Ariel - _Do I get a say in this? Not sure if I’m comfortable with being in that man’s inner circle… He’s a bit too two-faced for my tastes._

12:01 Sophie - _Just go to that pub and see what he has to say, okay?_

12:03 Ariel - _Yeah yeah, I already told him I’d be there. No turning back now… Unfortunately. :(_

12:05 Sophie - _Don’t worry, Ari. It won’t be that bad._

12:06 Ariel - _*headdesk* *headdesk* *headdesk*_

12:07 Sophie - _What the bleep are you doing?_

12:09 Ariel - _Trying to see if I can virtually knock myself out so I can feign a concussion. Put it up as a reason not to go… Why are you bleeping your expletives?_

12:11 Sophie - _Give the man a chance. He’s been through a lot lately and he hasn’t been himself. It doesn’t excuse his behaviour, but it does clear some things up._ _Well, I do have a baby to raise. Can’t poison its vocabulary with cuss words so early on._

12:12 Ariel - _Fine, I’ll give him a chance. And look at you, vouching for the other, back and forth between Tom and I. I think you’ve got a bit of a conflict of interest here. ;) ..._ _Sophie, you do know that we’re texting, right? The baby can’t hear you._

12:13 Sophie - _Conflicts - Schmonflicts :P. Hush, I’m practicing for when it learns to read. :)_

12:16 Ariel - _This conversation is turning a bit too surreal for me. I’m off to the shower and then I’m gonna see if my kids have left me any breakfast -or lunch... Whatever. I swear, they’re like ravenous wolves lately. Eating anything and everything I have in the cupboard and fridge._

12:18 Sophie - _Okay, I’ll speak to you later. Any idea when our big picnic is happening yet?_

12:22 Ariel - _Might be around Wednesday, if that’s okay with you? Cian and Art are leaving for a holiday with their friends on Tuesday afternoon, and I have to drop themoff at Heathrow for their flight to Spain._ _Looked at the forecast and we should still have good enough weather by the time Wednesday comes around. :)I’ll ring you later to deliberate about who brings what, okay?_

12:24 Sophie - _Yup, later, girlfriend! :D_

12:25 Sophie - _And good luck today!_

12:26 Ariel - _I’ll need it, thanks, Sophie! See ya!_

 

Ariel put her phone aside and rolled out of bed. Waking up this late always made her a bit lethargic for the rest of the day. Something she couldn't really use as she suspected she’d be verbally sparring with a very intelligent man in the afternoon.

Not one to be caught out she decided it was time to wake herself up drastically. With a cold shower and lots of coffee.  But first it was time for another painkiller. She was relieved to feel that her arm was feeling marginally better today, but she was still going to need the sling to support her arm. Her shoulder was very stiff and every unexpected movement hurt quite a bit.

She walked into the ensuite and filled a glass with water. Taking the medicine out of the package, she broke the pill in half and quickly swallowed it with a few big gulps of water, trying not to choke on the still big-ass piece and repeated it with the other piece. Whoever thought it was okay to make them as big as they were, deserved a place in purgatory. She'd never understood how people were able to swallow those fuckers whole. 

Quickly she retrieved clean underwear and a bra from the closet and turned the shower on, setting the thermostat as cold as she was able to stand.

Five minutes later she shut the water off and, while shivering terribly, dried herself off. Good thing the weather was as good as it was and the warm air entered the bathroom through the window that was opened a crack, otherwise she’d be a blueish meat-popsicle.

Snickering at that mental image she pulled on her knickers and bra, noticing that, thanks to the painkiller, she had a wider range of movement in her shoulder, with not too much pain. She made a mental note not to antagonise the joint too much though. That would just set her recovery back by days, maybe even weeks. She couldn’t have that, because she had a few commissions coming up in the next few months and she liked to keep her clients happy. Delaying deadlines would not make said clients happy.

Taking care of moisturising her skin and blowdrying her hair into a messy bed head bob, she decided that she needed warpaint for today -and badass clothes, but those were of later concern-. First things first. 

She took out her contacts from the bathroom cupboard and after she gave them a rigorous cleaning, she put them in. She didn’t wear them that often, but it was nice to not have to wear glasses sometimes. Especially when applying make-up.

When one had eyes as bad as hers, applying make-up could be a challenge, with not being able to see if her eye-make-up was even or if there were irregularities in her foundation or mascara smudges beneath her eyes, unless she had her nose almost pressed to the mirror.

Working from the base up, she applied primer and foundation, followed by a light contour and blush and then setting it with powder.

She curled her eyelashes before applying kohl eyeliner to both the upper and lower lash-lines and blending it with a darkish silver-grey eyeshadow on her upper eyelids with a lighter grey colour on the part of the lid that was closest to her nose. Then another layer of kohl on the upper lash line and to finish off her eyes she put black mascara on her thick, long lashes. 

After shaping her eyebrows into the clean arches they almost naturally grew in, and giving them a bit more oomph with a dark brown eyebrow pomade, she decided to leave her lips nude until she had to leave for dinner so she wouldn’t smear it accidentally over her painstakingly applied makeup during the afternoon, which she had no doubt about would result in her having to redo it all.

Walking into her bedroom and pulling the wardrobe open she picked a coated black skinny jeans, which shimmered with a metallic shine and a dark green tank top. Over the tank top she pulled a black, off the shoulder t-shirt with sleeves to her elbows, which was wide on top and had a hem that fit tightly around her waist and hips. Letting the shirt hang off her left shoulder it covered all the bruising on her right and it showed off the vibrant colours of her tattoo. The reason she needed a tank top under it, was because of the back being cut all the way down the middle and being laced up with a moss green, wide, satin lace; leaving her entire back on display. 

The print on the front she had made herself. It was a simplified version of the Loki painting she’d sold to Stan all those years ago. It had a bit less detail, but the impact was much the same. Loki was bursting out of the painting -or in this case, t-shirt- in a magical storm of rage and hurt. She thought it was fitting to wear it as some sort of armour. Tom had hurt her deeply, and Loki had been hers _before_ he became Tom’s. She had even been the one to give life to his costumes. It wasn’t beneath her to remind him of his complete miscalculation of her character, and her anger at him, in a blunt way. It might have been a petty move, but she didn't care at the moment.

Alright, so she was still unbelievably pissed off at him. Sue her. Fucker.

She pulled out a pair of black socks from the sock drawer and unearthed a pair of black leather lace-up booties, with a small one inch wedge heel, from the bottom of the wardrobe. Couldn’t hurt to have a bit more height on the freakishly tall man, now could it? 

She didn’t really like high heels as they hurt her feet and she liked being comfortable more than she liked being stylish most days, but this pair she could comfortably wear all day. Must have something to do with the cushy rubber soles.

She fished the sling for her arm out of the pile of yesterday’s clothes on the bedroom chair and put it over her head. As she settled her wrist in it she breathed a sigh of relief from the support it granted to her shoulder. And it even colour-coordinated with her clothes, as it was black. 

Chuckling, she hung her bag over her left shoulder and picked up the socks and the booties. She made her way downstairs, through the dining room, where she dropped her bag, boots and socks next to the dining table, and went on to the kitchen, where Cian and Avery were putting their breakfast-brunch-lunch dishes into the dishwasher.

Cian did a double take when he saw his mum.

‘You going to war, mum?’ He asked, amused.

‘Something like that. Remember I told you about the ass I met at Ben and Sophie’s?’

Cian nodded.

‘Well, he wants to apologise and he invited me to eat Sunday Roast at Steele’s on Haverstock Hill.’

‘But you’re a vegetarian.’ Avery said, sounding genuinely confused.

‘Well, she won’t be having roast then, will she, silly?' At this remark, Avery stuck her tongue out at her brother. Cian reciprocated and turned back to his mum. 'I’m sure they’ll have a few vegetarian dishes, right, mum?’

‘I expect so.’

‘So, the don’t-fuck-with-me warpaint and rage-clothes are serving a purpose then?’

‘Yup, he’s gonna have to come with a very sincere apology and a very good explanation for his behaviour to get any forgiveness from me.’

‘You want me to give you a braided war-mohawk in Vikings-Lagertha style? If you’re doing this, you’re gonna need more than that just-woke-up bedhead.’ He pointed at Ariel’s hair, wiggling his pointer finger, while sporting a bit of a disapproving frown between his eyebrows.

It was a hobby of Cian’s to do people’s hair. He excelled in braiding and outrageous hairstyles. It allowed him to channel his creativity into something else than his artwork.

Ariel shrugged halfheartedly.

‘Sure. It might help with my confidence level. I’m going to need all the courage I can dredge up. _So_ not looking forward to this meeting.’ She sighed dejectedly.

‘Ave, would you make mum a cup of coffee and some toast with cheese? Then I’ll get to work on these locks.’

‘Okeydokey.’ Avery chirped and she started the coffeemaker while fishing two slices of bread out of the plastic bread bag.

Cian led his mum out into the dining room and set her down on a chair.

‘Wait here, I’m just gonna get my hair grooming stuff. Don’t move.’

‘Aye aye captain.’ joked Ariel.

‘You know it.’ Cian winked, grinning devilishly.

Fifteen minutes later found Ariel still on the chair, with a cup of coffee in hand and a plate with slightly burnt toast, and cheese, on the table while Cian was tightly braiding all the hair on the side of her head backwards so it looked like it was shaved off, when you looked at it from the front.

Ten minutes after that the other side of her head underwent the same treatment, leaving the hair on top of her head and in the back hanging loose. It ended up being teased back within an inch of its life and then pulled backwards into a spiky faux mohawk. 

Cian fastened it a bit more with a couple of bobby-pins so it wouldn’t be blown over to one side if she stepped outside.

Avery clapped her hands and smiled.

‘Mummy, you look freaking awesome!’ She exclaimed happily. 

Cian picked up a slightly oversized hand-mirror and handed it to his mother.

‘Wow…’ Ariel breathed when she caught sight of the fierce woman that was staring back at her from the looking glass. She looked like she wasn’t to be trifled with. She really did look like the dark-haired version of a warrior viking woman with her kohl rimmed, almost glowing, green eyes and her pale skin.

‘OMG! You know who you look like?’ said Avery excitedly, looking from the print on Ariel’s shirt to her face and back. She pointed at the print.

‘You look like a pretty girl Loki!’ She started jumping up and down and chanted, ‘Mummy Loki Mummy Loki Mummy Lokiiiiii!’ 

Cian laughed.

‘As much as she is a hyperactive monkey, she is right. You do look a bit like a Lady Loki. You just need a bit more gold in your outfit.’ He grinned.

Ariel stared at herself in the mirror, doubting if this was a look she could pull off on a Sunday afternoon in bohemian-but-still-posh, North-West London. It might be a bit too dark...

‘I don’t know… Isn’t this just a bit too much? I must look like I’m about to attend a Halloween party, or like I’m cosplaying, or something.’

‘No, you really don’t. You look badass and you look like you’re ready for anything the world can throw at you. Wasn’t that what you were going for?’ Cian asked.

‘Well, yes, but I still need to get into the pub without being refused entry. What if they throw me out?’

‘Mum, they won’t. You look beautiful and fierce and you’re completely appropriately dressed for telling that asshole off and showing him that you mean business.’ Cian grinned.

‘Well, okay then. I’ll just quickly eat my toast and then I'll take this look for a test run at the grocery store; I still have to buy you guys something for dinner. If I get too many weird looks, it's all coming off when I get home, and I'll find something else to wear. You cooking tonight, Cian?’

‘Sure. Just buy me some veggies and some chicken and rice, maybe some curry and other asian herbs. I’ll make stir-fry.’

As he walked into the hallway he stalled and looked back at his mum.

‘Oh, and if you happen to find a handsome chap at that pub, just go out and have some fun, alright? Don’t worry about us, we’re gonna be okay. Just let us know where you’re going and who you’re leaving with. Send a pic of them or something. And stay safe.’

Ariel raised a brow at her son as she took a bite from her toast. She quickly chewed and swallowed.

‘I’m not really planning on doing that, you know, but alright, I’ll text you guys if there’s a change in plans. And yes dad, I know, never leave my drink unattended, don’t accept drinks from strangers and especially not if you haven’t seen them being poured yourself and don’t step into strangers’ cars, no matter how nice they seem. Either take the tube home or call a cab.’

‘Good to know you’re going into the dating game with practical knowledge.’

‘Ain't my first rodeo, son.’ She drawled in a fake Texan accent, winking at him.

Cian laughed and disappeared up the stairs, taking his hair grooming stuff back up with him.

Ariel turned to Avery, who was nibbling on Ariel’s second piece of toast, it being already halfway gone.

‘Well, you hyperactive, bottomless pit, what do you say about some grocery shopping? Wanna come with to help me carry all the chocolate?’

‘Yassssss! Chocolate! I’m in, mum!’ Avery enthusiastically nodded, her long black hair dancing on her shoulders.

Avery helped Ariel with pulling on her socks and putting on her shoes as she had trouble doing that one-handed. The booties were lace-ups but also had a zipper on the side, so it didn’t take long to put them on. Before Ariel knew it, Avery was bouncing up and down by the front door, waiting impatiently for her mum to grab her bag and join her.

The supermarket was only a five minute walk down the road, so there was no need to take the tube or a cab.

The weather was still very nice and mother and daughter enjoyed their little walk in the sunshine. It wasn’t as warm as it had been and the wind was slightly chillier than the days before, but it was still nice enough to go out without a jacket on.  Ariel was happy with the cooler weather, because now she didn’t have to worry about her face melting off while they walked to the supermarket at a brisk pace. _Oh, all these first world problems_. She thought to herself.

It took them a bit longer than ten minutes to find all the ingredients for dinner. They also needed bread and milk and some of the promised chocolate. Then Avery found marshmallows and she convinced her mum to buy them so they could roast them over an open fire in the back garden, later in the week.

All in all it was an hour later when they arrived back home and it was now after three. In forty minutes she had to leave for her meeting -was it a meeting?- with Tom. Quickly, mother and daughter stored everything away in their proper places and then Ariel went back upstairs to see if her makeup needed any touching up and if her hair was still in place.

At the store she’d gotten a compliment from the cashier about her Glorious Hair -that’s how the woman had described it- and Makeup, and she had called one of her colleagues to come look at the ‘awesome warrior woman with style’ at the register. After a lot of ooh-ing and aah-ing and complimenting, she and Avery were allowed to leave, but they had to promise to return soon with even more fierce looks. 

So, maybe her look wasn’t as outrageous as she had initially thought.

She’d also gotten the stink-eye from a small group of posh women who had passed Avery and her in the street, but she hadn’t really cared what they thought. She took it as a good thing and concluded they were just jealous of her awesome look. She was a rockstar amongst a flock of beige goody two shoes. She’d snickered at that thought.

Anyway, the whole wearing the look outside her house thing had gone far better than she thought it would, and she now wasn't as apprehensive as she had been about going to the pub like this.

After powdering her nose, she decided that she didn’t need the dark red lipstick she had planned on wearing after all and went with a nude pink chapstick instead. That way she couldn’t make a klutz of herself by getting lipstick all over her teeth or all around her mouth while eating dinner. And she didn't look as severe as she would have with the dark lipstick.

One less thing to stress over.


	17. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wait, is that... RDJ?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sandbox. No Money. Own Nothing. Yada Yada Yada...

**Chapter 16**

 

At fifteen to four she said goodbye to her kids and told them to behave while she was gone.  A bit of grumbling was heard from the twins, resulting in them telling her that they were mature enough to take care of everything. Ariel laughed at their protests; she was their mother and mothers always worry when they leave their offspring on their own for a time. Mums just couldn't help it.

At exactly ten to four she pulled the front door closed behind her and began her walk up the hill toward Steele’s pub, shoulder bag hanging cross-body from left shoulder to right hip. It was only a six or seven minute walk, so she wasn't really in a hurry and she just enjoyed the sunshine and the flowers in the gardens of the houses that lined the streets. London was a beautiful city, especially at this time of year, when all was in bloom.

As she walked up to the pub she heard her phone ping inside her bag. Fishing it out and putting it in her right hand, she pulled the door open while opening her messages screen.

 

15:56 Tom - _Sorry, going to be bit late. Had last-minute meeting. Traffic is hell atm. Go onand order drink. I’ll b there in 25 mins, 30 tops. Reservation under Odinson._

 

Odinson... Really?!? She stopped walking, between the entrance and the bar, smack dab in the middle of the pub.

‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’ She muttered. Odinson. Could he be more obvious? And why couldn't he just be on time for the meeting he himself had begged her for? This was bad form, if you asked her. 

She looked up from the phone screen, deciding to make herself comfortable while she waited and looked at her surroundings. The pub was beautifully decorated in an old vintage style. Paintings, prints and mirrors covering the walls. And bookshelves. So many books.

‘ _Oooh, books! Lovely_!’ Ariel smiled to herself. This pub had a very nineteenth century feel to it. Old world and so cosy and warm.

When she turned back to the bar she saw the bartender looking at her inquiringly, with both eyebrows raised. It was still relatively quiet in the pub, only a few regulars sitting around nursing beers and talking amongst themselves. She noticed that she was drawing a bit of attention. A few men were staring at her, and not being inconspicuous about it.

‘Ah, yes.’ she said, apologetically, as she stepped forward. She cleared her throat as her voice was suddenly a bit squeaky. 

’I’m having a meeting here today. The reservation is under, um,’ She looked back down at her phone. It still said what it had said before and she shook her head in exasperation. ‘Under Odinson?’ She continued, voice raising into a question towards the end, inwardly cringing.

The bartender grinned. He was a dark haired man, greying at the temples and sporting a well kept, silver-grey beard. Ariel estimated him being in his late forties, or early fifties. 

‘He at it again, eh.’ the man said, his blue eyes twinkling with mirth. 

Ariel raised her eyebrows at him in surprise.

‘You’d think he’d be a bit less transparent in his aliases, right?’ He answered her unasked question with another question.

She snorted in amusement and nodded. The man was right, to someone who was familiar with Tom’s work, it was so obvious. Apparently he had used his usual alias when making the reservation at the Steele’s pub, as the bartender seemed to know exactly who he was talking about.

‘Okay, I’ve got you in ‘the Cranny’. It’s a bit of a more private space, but still a part of the pub.’ He pointed to an alcove to the right of the bar -her right, his left-, behind which was a arched doorway with ‘the Cranny’ written above it in silver paint calligraphy. Behind that she could see a few chairs and the edge of a table, lighted by low lighting lamps. It looked cosy and did offer occupants a bit more privacy while still being able to partake in the ‘pub experience’.

‘As he isn’t here yet, would you like to wait at the bar, or you want to go to your seat?’

‘I’ll wait at the bar, thanks.’ Ariel said as she laid her phone on the counter and lifted the shoulder strap of her bag over her head, hanging it over the back of one of the bar stools. No way she was going to wait for Tom in that alcove. She liked to be able to see him when he came in. Keeping your ‘enemies’ in your sight, so to say.

She climbed up onto the stool, having a bit of difficulty as the things were always so high and now she had only one hand to keep her balance. Thank the gods this one had a backrest she could hold on to.

‘Need help?’ The bartender asked. 

‘No thanks, I’m okay.’ She said, dropping her bum on the stool with a sigh of relief, succeeding to seat herself after only one failed attempt. 

‘Always a challenge to get onto these things without falling off the other side when you’re vertically challenged.’ she joked.

‘Especially when you’ve had a few. It’s always very entertaining from where I’m standing.’ the bartender chuckled. ‘Speaking of drinks, can I get you something?’

Ariel smiled at him.

‘I’ll bet it is. I’ll have a glass of rosé wine, medium sweet, if you have it, and a glass of water, please. Oh, and do you have some bread and butter, maybe? I haven’t eaten much today and alcohol on an empty stomach is never a good idea.’

‘Sure, rosé wine, water and a bread basket coming up.’ 

As the bartender went to work, Ariel turned on her seat a bit and took a better look around the pub. She just loved the decor of it. No modern makeover for this pub, unlike so many others she’d seen. The walls, where they could be seen, were a deep dark red and littered with old pictures and paintings and bookshelves with books. The wooden features were stained a dark brown and were worn from tens, if not hundreds, of years of use. To the left of the bar there was a rustic wooden staircase going up to the first floor. Leather clad couches and benches were pushed up to the walls and mismatched tables and chairs littered the floor of the pub.

Ariel could imagine the cosy winter nights when the pub was filled with people seeking food, drink and merrymaking. The ambiance would be fantastic.

Her phone pinged again and she picked it up.

 

16:08 Tom - _Almost there. 20 mins tops._

16:08 Ariel - _Would you stop texting while driving! You’ll get into an accident!_

16:09 Tom - _You worried?_

16:09 Ariel - _Shut up._

 

Apparently he’d decided to listen to her, because he didn't answer this time.

‘There you go, one rosé, a water and a bread basket.’ The bartender was back and he placed her order in front of her on the counter.

‘Thank you.’ Ariel smiled and took a big gulp of her wine to help settle her nerves a bit. In about twenty minutes she was going to need all the fortifying food and drink she could get. She didn’t want to make a scene in public again. Not good for business, that.

‘Whoah. Easy there, girly, don't want to have you falling off that chair within half an hour, now do we.’ The bartender commented on her downing half the wine in her glass in one go.

‘Yeah, you’re right, time for some bread to soak up the alcohol before it goes to my head.’ She agreed, chuckling.

Sitting there, at the bar, chitchatting with the bartender, who introduced himself as Barry, she gradually relaxed a bit. Nibbling on a slice of buttered bread settled her queasy stomach and sipping the wine, interspersed with sips of water, had her relaxing even more.

It turned out that Barry had seen the videos of her on the internet and he was nothing but supportive. Calling the paps 'vultures' and threatening to break her assaulter’s legs if he ever met him in the street.

Although Ariel felt flattered by the protective streak she’d obviously awakened in Barry, it wasn't something she wanted to encourage, and she managed to convince him to just call the police and not step in himself if he ever came across the man.

Barry then pointed at a flyer that was posted to the left of the bar, near the staircase. It said that if a woman was with a date that made her feel threatened or unsafe in any way or if she wanted to get away from a pushy/rowdy man that kept bothering her, she was welcome to alert one of the pub’s employees and then they would get her out of the situation and help her get home safely.

Ariel thought it a very good initiative and told him so.

*Ping* said her phone. She looked at it.

 

16:21 Tom - _Just arrived home. Freshening up and then heading your way._

16:22 Ariel - _OK_

 

Behind her the door opened and a group of laughing men entered the pub.

‘Hey Barry! Three pints and a coke, please!’ One of the men called out in an American accent, while they all veered left and made their way to a seating area with couches and chairs, in an alcove, next to the door.

‘Coming right up, Bob!’ Barry cheerily answered.

Ariel’s eyes grew wide when she recognised the voice behind her. 

‘ _BOB?’_ She mouthed at Barry.

‘Yup.’ He answered with a wink, smiling merrily while filling the pint glasses with ale from the tap.

Sneakily she chanced a covert glance over her shoulder, and there he was, settling himself on one of the leather sofas… Robert Downey Jr.

She sucked in a surprised breath and turned back to Barry.

‘What is he doing here? Doesn't he live in the States?’ She whispered at him.

‘Prolly here for a bit of promotion or reshoots or som’thin’. Comes by from time to time. Brings in some friends occasionally. Friendly chap.’ Barry said quietly, pouring coke into the fourth glass.

He put the four full glasses on a tray and picked it up.

‘You wanna meet ‘em?’

Ariel shook her head and frowned.

‘No thanks, handling one movie star a day is the limit for me, I've found that out the hard way.’

'Don't ask.' She grumbled, when she saw his questioning gaze.

Barry threw his head back and let roll a hearty belly laugh. He patted her hand with his free one.

‘I like you, girly. Not getting starry eyed at the likes of them. Good for you.’ 

He looked behind her and saw that his laugh had garnered quite some attention from the four men in the booth, all four heads were turned toward him and Ariel, but they weren’t looking at him.

‘Looks like some of ‘em are getting all starry eyed at the likes of _you_.’ He snickered and winked at her as he walked away, tray of drinks in hand.

‘Wuh?’ Ariel eloquently said as she turned around to follow Barry’s form as he walked towards the booth the men were seated at. Four pairs of eyes were curiously looking at her. Eyes of men she’d seen on the big screen, in a lot of Marvel movies. 

Bob had decided to bring his co-workers today, it seemed. With him were Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, and Sebastian Stan. The latter two looking at her with interest.

‘Oh shit.’ She whispered to herself.

She saw Chris Evans turn to Barry when the man was setting the drinks on the table, and softly ask him something that caught Sebastian’s attention too.

Barry looked her way, eyes twinkling with amusement, laughed and shook his head.

‘Sorry chaps, the lady’s not interested.’ he grinned. That got all four men to turn to her again, interest doubled, it seemed.

‘Really?’ She heard Bob ask incredulously as the left corner of his mouth lifted in a half smirk. He curiously raised his brows at her. ‘Why wouldn’t she be?’

She frowned at him irritably and let out a very audible snort. As if there weren’t any women in the world that wouldn’t want to meet them; the arrogance of that idea staggered her.

‘Nope, sorry. Got enough drama in my life.’ she said out loud, and she made a shooing wavy motion with her left hand as she turned her back on them and went back to her bread and wine, her body language closed of.

‘Well, that settles that then. Cheers, mates! To the one that got away!’ She heard Chris Hemsworth say in his Aussie accent, his voice betraying a barely contained mirth at his disappointed colleagues, as he chuckled into his beer.

Ariel snickered softly at his infectious humour as she heard the clinking of glasses and the grumbling murmur of the other men. They were obviously not used to being rebuked.

She suddenly sensed someone standing next to her and looked to her left. 

A shock of fright went through her as she spotted Bob standing very close to her, hands folded behind his back, studying her curiously through a pair of blue tinted glasses, apparently having no respect for personal boundaries. 

‘Fuck!’ she exclaimed as she laid her hand on her now very fast beating heart. ‘Wear a bell will you? So people can hear you sneaking up to them!’

‘You really don’t give a rat’s ass about who we are, do you?’ He ignored her reprimand and kept looking at her like she was some rare kind of specimen.

She looked him right in the eye, took a sip from her wine and sarcastically deadpanned.

‘No shit, Sherlock. Deduced that all by yourself, did you?’

A delighted smile took the place of the serious expression on his face.

‘Ooh, I like you! You may not want to meet me and my companions, but I definitely want to make your acquaintance.’ He held out his hand. ‘Bob Downey. Lovely to meet you! Love your tattoo sleeve by the way!’

Ariel looked down at his hand and raised her eyebrows. This was surreal. It took her a few seconds to collect herself, but eventually she acquiesced and firmly shook his right hand with her left.

‘Um, thanks. Ariel Dekker, hi.’ 

His eyes flitted from her left hand that he was still holding, to her right that had been hidden until then and he saw it in the sling.

‘Oh, sorry, hadn't seen that. What happened?’

‘Tore a ligament in my shoulder. Should be okay in a couple of weeks’

As he opened his mouth to say something, the door into the pub opened again and a roar went up at Bob’s table.

‘Hiddlestoooooonnn!’ Chris Evans yelled.

‘Heeeeeeyyyyy!’ Sebastian called out.

‘Brother!’ Hemsworth boomed in his Thor voice.

Bob and Ariel had turned to the entrance and watched on from their place at the bar, as the three men exchanged manly hugs, back pats and greetings with Tom.

Bob noticed the lack of surprise on her face at Tom’s arrival as she looked on.

‘You know Tom.’ He said softly, searching her face intently.

‘Hence the enough-drama-in-my-life comment.’ She sighed and let herself slide down from the stool, planting her feet firmly on the ground. ‘We had an appointment at four, but he was running late, as you can see.’

She looked up at Bob who was now staring down at her in surprise.

‘I thought you’d be taller.’ He said.

Snorting she stared back at him, humour shining in her eyes.

‘Isn’t that supposed to be my line?’

‘No, I’m not that tiny.’

‘I wouldn’t know, care to demonstrate?’ She raised an eyebrow inquiringly, having no idea where she'd found the audacity to verbally spar with him like this.

‘Will you marry me?’ He asked, longingly gazing down at her.

‘Sorry dude, I think you’re already married.’

‘I can get rid of her.’ He deadpanned.

‘I don’t think she’d make it that easy on you. you’d probably end up with no balls.’

He looked like he was weighing pros and cons and then sighed dramatically.

‘I suppose you’re right. That would be unfortunate. With consummating the marriage and all. I’m sorry, I guess this just wasn’t meant to be.’

‘Don’t worry, I’ll live.’

‘Harsh.’

‘Just saying it as it is.’

‘I like you.’

‘You already said that. You’re falling into repetitive speech patterns. Not a good sign at your age. Should get that looked at.’

‘I take it back.’ 

‘Doesn’t work that way.’

‘Yes it does.’

‘No it doesn’t. You like me.’

‘Yes it does. No I don’t.’

‘Sorry to burst your bubble, Bob.’

‘Please, don’t burst my bubble. I like my bubble.’

‘You seem terribly attached to a non-existent bubble. You sure you don’t want to get it checked out?’

‘There’s nothing wrong with me.’

‘It’s completely normal you know, with men your age. Nothing to be ashamed of.’

Bob stared down at her in amused surprise and she stared back defiantly, eyebrow raised high, smirk around her mouth, while on the inside, her introverted, shy self was screaming at her to  _please_ stop this madness. Wow, that wine must have been stronger than she'd thought.

‘I think I love you.’ he said.

‘Don’t get your hopes up, Downey. Even though that’s probably the only thing you can still get up, it’s common in geriatrics, or so I’ve heard.’ She mock sneered.

Bob threw his head back and laughed loudly. Apparently he was thoroughly amused by their almost venomous exchange. Shaking his head, he looked down at Ariel in silent admiration. It didn't happen every day that he met his verbal match in a ‘friendly’ altercation.

The two of them hadn’t noticed the pub had gotten quiet around them. The four men who had been greeting each other exuberantly only minutes before had all turned toward the verbal sparring match that had gripped the attention of everyone in the pub.

‘Did she just…?’ Evans whispered out of the side of his mouth.

‘Yeah, she did…’ Stan whispered back.

‘He’s stopped talking…’ Evans was clearly flabbergasted.

‘Yeah, how…’ Stan was too.

‘Wow…’ Evans breathed in admiration.

‘Yeah.’ Stan agreed.

Bob, still laughing and wiping away tears of mirth, called out to Hemsworth.

‘Yo, Hemsworth! I found your wife’s long lost younger sister! Same height. Explosive little thing too!’

‘Hey!’ Ariel exclaimed, suddenly sure she was being made fun of.

Hemsworth laughed as Ariel bumped her left fist into Bob’s bicep in protest. It was surprisingly firm and her knuckles stung a bit from the impact.

‘Yup, definitely related. Packs a punch. This one might be a bit more gifted in the butt and boob department though.’ Bob said, rubbing his arm. 

Just as Ariel was pulling back her arm to deliver another punch, this time with a bit more conviction behind it, Bob jumped aside, holding up his arms in surrender, backing away slowly.

‘Sorry, sorry. It was a compliment. His wife is awesome! You! You are awesome! So pretty… In a dark, violent, disturbing kind of way…’

‘Well, he started talking again, but it was nice while it lasted.’ Evans said to Stan, who hummed in assent.

‘Are you staying for Sunday roast, brother?’ Hemsworth asked Tom, while he sent a dark look Bob’s way, not sure if his wife just got deliberately insulted. As it was Bob who was saying these things, he decided to shrug it off, that man lived to piss people off. 

Tom turned to his friend and opened his mouth to speak, but didn’t get the chance to formulate an answer.

‘Yes! Yes! You must stay for dinner! I want to talk to her more! Of course you’re staying. This is gonna be great!’ Bob immediately jumped in, clapping his hands once and then rubbing them together in glee.

‘Shut it, Bubble Bob!’ Ariel said sassily to Bob as she put her phone in her bag and hung the strap over her shoulder. She stepped to Tom’s side. 

‘Tom and I are about to have a meeting right now. It’s already running late as it is. We’ll see how the meeting goes, first.’

She looked up at Tom and gave him a tightlipped smile, which didn't exactly reach her eyes. 

‘Shall we?’ She asked.

Tom nodded, looking a bit dazed, and gestured for her to walk in front of him to their seats.

‘After you, Ms Dekker.’

Bob had the gall to comment on the decorum Tom displayed towards her.

‘Oooooh, Ms Dekker is it? You taking him out to the back dungeon? Can I be a fly on the wall? Or, even better, can I watch?’ He wiggled is eyebrows teasingly.

Ariel didn’t even deign to answer his questions and flipped him the bird without looking back. As she stepped into ‘the Cranny’ she heard him cackling. She could vaguely hear him comment on her non-verbal reaction.

‘I like her. We should see her every time we go to London. Livens up the place like a fireworks show.’

‘Yeah yeah, come on Bob, stop drooling, sit down and have your Coke.’ Stan said.

After that, she only heard the increased murmuring of many voices now that the ruckus was over and the pub guests had gone back to the order of the day. 


	18. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That Angst... All that Angst... And Feels...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That Sand... All that Sand... And Castles...

**Chapter 17**

 

Barry followed right behind them, with her glasses of wine and water and the bread basket on a tray. He set it all out in front of her after she sat down on the chesterfield sofa that was placed to the back of the dimly lit alcove.

‘Thank you, Barry.’ She smiled up at him.

 ‘You’re very welcome.’ He said and looked at Tom, who tried to fold his mile long legs under the table, while he sat down in a leather clad chair. ‘What can I get you, _mr Odinson_?’ His eyes twinkled and Ariel got the feeling that this was a longstanding joke between them.

Tom smiled politely at Barry, but his eyes were shining with humour.

‘A red wine, please. Thank you, Barry.’

Barry nodded and disappeared, backing out of the arched doorway.

Ariel saw that Tom was eyeing the bread and butter hungrily. She took pity on him and gestured to the food.

‘Please, be my guest.’

‘Thanks. I’m starving. I drove up from Suffolk this morning and I was pulled into a couple of last minute meetings during the day. Haven't eaten since breakfast. I’m running on fumes.’

He leant forward and grabbed a big chunk of artisanal, whole grain bread, buttering it generously before quickly gobbling it down. The man was apparently very hungry.  Ariel leaned back in her seat and amusedly looked on, while he consumed the rest of the bread. It was all gone by the time Barry returned with Tom’s wine.

When Barry had gone again, Tom leaned back in his seat, stretched his legs out in front of him, took a sip of his wine with his eyes closed, and then sighed deeply. He visibly tried to relax his tense posture. Breathing in and breathing out in a controlled rhythm.

He looked very, very tired, Ariel noted. The lines and blemishes in his face were set off by the dim lighting that cast shadows across his visage. The meetings he’d had during the day must have taken a lot out of him.

The fact that he looked so unapologetically flawed and human right now was what helped Ariel relax a bit in his presence. This was just a man with a lot of responsibilities weighing on his shoulders, just like she herself had weighing down on her. Maybe not the same responsibilities, but she could relate. Up until very recently she’d been treading water and losing the battle. She was so grateful for the reprieve she’d been given in the form of the lottery win -which had only happened thanks to her mother buying her a ticket for Christmas-, otherwise she was sure she wouldn't have been able to keep afloat.

She let her eyes glide over the hard planes of his face. Handsome in an unconventional way, she thought. He was all sharp cheekbones and strong jaw, complimented by a distinguished nose, sensuous lips, a high forehead and cunningly intelligent, blue eyes.

Eyes that were now studying her curiously. Quickly she looked away.  Oops, she had just been caught staring. She blinked owlishly and could feel her cheeks warming up, suddenly thankful for the makeup and the dim light; both elements helping to hide her blush from him.

‘You look different.’ He said, still studying her.

‘Um, yeah. Not being assaulted, distraught and then verbally filleted does that for ya. Makeup above eyes instead of under, helps. Getting the chance to do my hair, that helps too. Ooh, and a good nights sleep, also very valuable.’ There she went again. Sarcasm-R-Us, rambling on. She closed her eyes and breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth, trying to get a handle on her volatile emotions. Time to get rid of the bitchiness and hear what the man had to say. ‘I’m sorry, that was uncalled for. What was it that you wanted to talk about?’

Tom chuckled, visibly relieved that she was genuinely trying to listen to him.

‘It’s fine, really. You’re the first person I’ve met in a very long time who doesn’t fawn over everything I do or say, and you call me out on my bullshit, even when I’m obviously not going to be happy about it.  Just like that verbal 'altercation' you had with Robert earlier. You give as good as you get, tit for tat. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him being made speechless like that, before, except maybe by his wife. So, well done, that.’

‘Okay, um… Thanks? I think...’ She stumbled, a bit taken aback by his sincerity; which she could see was genuine this time. No masks, just as she had requested when he tried to apologise to her on Friday. He was putting in a tremendous effort to accede to her terms. It left her feeling a bit awed, if she was honest. 

‘So, what do you know about my relationship with Zoe Cameron?’ He asked, leaning forward, his eyes sharp and his posture tensing slightly.

‘Wow, you’re diving straight into the deep end, eh?’ He gave her a warning look and she back-pedalled.

‘Sorry,’ She said, feeling moderately contrite. ‘Um… Well, not that much really. Zoe’s a moderately successful American pop singer and a model. Pretty. Tall. Blonde. You met sometime in early winter, at the end of last year or the beginning of this one, and have had a whirlwind romance. If you wanna know more than that, then you’ve got me at a loss. I’m more of a woman who follows the careers of artists and or actors, not their gossip rag worthy private lives. Sorry.’  _Was that too harsh?_ She suddenly asked herself, studying Tom to see his reaction to her last few words. _He doesn't look upset_. She concluded that she'd gotten away with that barb.

Tom nodded at her answer and took a fortifying breath before starting to talk quietly. She could only just hear him over the buzzing of voices in the pub.

‘What I’m about to tell you hasn’t been made public yet. It will be, within the coming weeks, but not just yet. I’m disclosing this to you to shed some light on my appalling behaviour on Friday. I want you to know that I feel I’m taking a big leap of faith by trusting you with this information, because I know next to nothing about you. But, that said, some of my best friends have vouched for you, extensively, and based on your integrity towards them, I’ve decided it’s… No, you’re worth the risk.’

‘Okay.’ Ariel said, calmly accepting the responsibility of carrying this so called secret.

He searched her eyes and face for a spark of greedy curiosity or ugly ambition, but all he found was acceptance, openness and honesty. Apparently, Ariel was exactly what she seemed to be, a genuinely sincere woman who he had hurt deeply with his insensitive, caustic words and behaviour. 

Her sarcastic and sour attitude toward him was entirely deserved and he didn't resent her for making a few snide remarks at his expense. 

He felt a pang of deep regret for alienating her. She was one of the first people who he had met, since he’d gotten onto the fame train, who didn't have an agenda of some sort. Everyone always wanted something from him. Fame by association, access to his business connections, access to his money, access to his famous friends, and so on. It was never just about knowing _him_. Who he was didn't seem to matter all that much.

Then, the one person he meets who doesn't want anything from him -someone who is one of the few people who supports Sophie and Ben's marriage-, he shreds to pieces within minutes of meeting her. He was getting so jaded and so versed in playing the Hollywood Game of Fakery that he didn't even recognise himself anymore, lately. 

The fact that pre-fame Tom would have recognised Ariel’s worth within a heartbeat, and present him hadn’t, worried him to no end. He was becoming blinded by paranoia. Reluctant to let anyone get too close to him in order to prevent getting hurt. He didn't know who to trust anymore...  He needed to step back from all the dishonesty and fakery that cluttered his life and start over, figuratively speaking. This meeting would be the first step towards that goal.

Taking a deep breath he began his -and Zoe’s- story, taking Ariel to the beginning of how he fell in love with one of the coldest, most conniving women he’d ever had the misfortune of knowing. 

Of course she hadn't cold and surreptitious in the beginning. She’d spun a web of love and adoration around him. Blinding him to any faults she might have had.  It was all moonlight and roses and he’d thought she'd been as much in love with him as he was with her.

It turned out that he'd discovered too late what a cunning manipulator she was and by the time she showed her true colours he’d been in too deep to get out completely unscathed.

She’d been pilfering his money bit by bit. A few thousand dollars from a hotel safe, here, a ‘lost’ credit card, there, draining it before he had the chance to block it. Patterns of money lost started to emerge and when he got suspicious enough to finally really look at how much money went missing, it was already up to almost three-hundred-thousand pounds.

When he had confronted her with his findings two weeks earlier, she’d laughed in his face, saying how stupid he was for believing that anyone could ever love _him_ , for who he was, without needing the compensation of his money. She’d done him a favour, showing up at all those parties and premieres, lending a bit of pizazz to an otherwise boring old stiff. The money she'd siphoned from him was to compensate her, for putting up with him.

He had wanted to end it then and there, but that was when she’d dropped a bombshell of epic proportions. She was pregnant. She’d been planning it and she’d found out quite a few weeks ago, keeping it a secret until she was sure it was going to stick. Congratulations, he was going to be a dad by the time the year was over.

It wasn't like she wanted a baby, she’d told him, she detested the stinky maggots. But wouldn't it be fantastic if he got visiting rights to his child in exchange for a hefty monthly sum.

 

Tom’s voice broke at that point in the story and for a moment he thought he wouldn't be able go on, but with a few deep breaths he found his centre and was able to continue. He was afraid to look at Ariel, not wanting to see the pity and disgust that were undoubtedly laid out on her face; instead choosing to keep his gaze focussed on his wine glass.

 

What it all boiled down to was that Zoe was planning on keeping the child hostage unless he paid her monthly for visiting rights, coming down to only a few hours every two weeks.

Devastated, he’d fled the house they were staying in, in Mallorca. He'd ran down the beach at full speed until he was gasping for air. He's tried to get his head around everything that had happened and he'd felt like his lungs were closing up, dark spots flickering in front of his eyes as he'd desperately tried to get oxygen into his body. He’d collapsed onto the sand and there he'd stayed until it was getting dark. 

The creeping evening cold, which had settled into his bones, had shocked him out of his thoughts and he had dragged himself to the house his co-star was staying in. 

He’d scared Hugh and Jo -Hugh’s wife- half to death, coming onto their porch from the beach like some sort of wraith. He’d been so cold and pale and distraught as he’d staggered out of the darkness and onto the candlelit deck, like a drunk, that it had taken over fifteen minutes for Hugh to get anything remotely coherent out of him...  After they’d pulled the whole story from him, in small, rambling increments, Hugh had gotten on the phone with his and Tom’s lawyers and had put them to work.

Where Tom had been too close to the fire to see any way out of this trap he’d found himself in, and had already given up on ever being free from Zoe and on being able to raise his child, Hugh and his lawyers had taken a look at the evidence Tom had provided on Zoe’s embezzlement of his money, and they’d seen a loophole to use and turn it all around on Zoe.

It had taken them only a week to take her house of cards down.

Of course Zoe had had her own legal team and hadn't gone down without a fight, but after Tom went over to their Mallorca rental home, wearing a wire, pretending to beg her to please reconsider, she’d abandoned caution, convinced of her own cunning, she had, at this point in the process, deemed herself untouchable, as Tom and Hugh’s lawyers had her thinking she had him where she wanted him. 

She had triumphantly ranted about how he was going to pay through the nose for this baby, if he wanted to ever see his child grow up, and about how she couldn't believe how easy it had been to play into his pathetic need to be loved.  How easily he’d fallen for her ruse like the gullible idiot he was. How she’d hire a nanny to take care of the kid while she would be jet setting around the world with Tom’s money.  He’d gotten her to admit on tape how she’d secreted large amounts of his money away to overseas accounts, and how her plan had grown from there. How her greed made her devise the diabolical plan that a child of his would assure her of a luxurious lifestyle, for at least the coming eighteen to twenty one years.

Tom had played the role of a lifetime, while ice cold fury raged like an inferno in his soul, he'd still succeeded in projecting a convincibly broken, crying and begging man to her.  He would have done anything and everything to save his child out of the claws of this greedy demon. 

All this had transpired last Wednesday, only four days ago, and on Thursday they’d presented Zoe and her legal team with their evidence against her, and they had laid out Tom's demands and conditions -spelled out into minute detail- on the table. Made possible only by a group of top barristers working 'round the clock to get everything rolling.

It had been a non-negotiable, take it or leave it, kind of deal. 

They had her on embezzlement of funds, jewellery theft -caught on video-, taking hostage of a minor, taking hostage of an unborn child, extortion, the threat of inflicting psychological torture on a minor and for infliction of psychological torture on a partner or spouse.  The case against her was air-tight thanks to Tom’s performance.

The demands the barristers had drawn up were cold and harsh, but they were necessary to save the baby from coming to physical and psychological harm once it was born.  Zoe was to completely give up any and all legal rights to the child. She would have to carry it to term, without indulging in unhealthy behaviour or any attempt at abortion, and then hand it over to its father after the birth, without contestation.  She was to leave his and his child’s life permanently and never return. Failure to fulfil any of these conditions would result in all her transgressions being made public and all evidence being turned over to court. She’d be indicted in the criminal lawsuit of the century, where they would request maximum punishment, which, if granted, would then probably result in her lifelong incarceration in a maximum security psychiatric hospital. Both outcomes had her losing custody of the child. 

However, if she did comply with the demands, she’d be appropriately compensated for revenue lost due to pregnancy and childbirth, and after the delivery she would receive a sum of two-hundred-thousand pounds to take care of any inconveniences suffered in the weeks after. She’d leave with her reputation intact and with a press release that stated that at twenty-four she had found that she was too young to be a mother and she wholeheartedly had entrusted the care of her child to its father; knowing that it would be loved and cherished. Allowing her to pursue her singing and modelling career without any distractions.

On Thursday night he’d flown back to the UK under the pretext of having a few days off due to continuity problems on set. He'd wanted to use the weekend to fill in his mum and close friends on what was going to be transpiring over the next few weeks.

And that was how he had come to be with Ben that Friday, when they’d rushed back to Ben’s house, because of some sort of emergency pertaining the couple’s new friend.  Tom, still in a very disordered state of mind, with nerves flayed raw, had then taken one look at the the curvy, beautiful young woman who, within a matter of weeks, had wormed her way in to his friends’ lives and hearts, and something inside him had just snapped.  All the rage and fury he’d been barely able to contain over the last few weeks had poured out of him like lava. Lashing out to the innocent woman sitting opposite of him; venomously cutting her so very deep, and probably ruining any chance of friendly amity with her in the future. 

From what he’d seen of Ariel’s behaviour in the past few days, she was someone you’d want on your side in a tight spot. Loyal to a fault and a roaring lioness when one of her cubs -friends- was under threat.  Tears spilled over and trailed down his cheeks as he looked at her.

‘I’m so, so sorry, Ariel. So sorry. I had no right…’ His voice broke as a sob made its way up through his body and he bowed his head in shame and sorrow. He wouldn’t blame her if she just got up and walked out, never wanting to see him again.

To his surprise she stayed where she was, the silence that had fallen between them stretching uncomfortably. Just as he was about to look up to see her reaction, her left hand appeared in his vision, gripping his right, which was balled into a fist on the table. She squeezed his hand in a comforting gesture and he raised his head, his eyes searching her face for an expression of disgust, of disdain. 

All he found were green eyes conveying sympathy, shining with empathy and unspilled tears.

She cleared her throat, clearly overcome with emotion.

‘I’m so sorry that this happened to you, Tom. Nobody should ever have to go through such an experience...' She let out a shuddering breath. 'I don't understand that woman. How can anybody be that cold, that calculating, not caring who she hurt? How can a mother plan on exploiting her child like that? I just can’t get my head around it.’

Tom gazed at her with unconcealed pain in his eyes and shook his head.

‘I know, it hurts to just think about it.’ His voice was hoarse.

Ariel leaned forward and breathed another deep, shivering sigh.

‘Tom.’ She said, he looked up at her call for his attention. She inclined her head to him gracefully.

‘It’s okay. I forgive you for your callous words.’

‘What?’ He croaked, disbelievingly, staring at her like she'd just grown two heads.

She pinned him with a stern gaze.

‘However, if you ever dare to talk to me in such a way again, _ever_ , I will murder you in the face.’

He barked out a relieved, hoarse laugh. 

‘Duly noted.’ He whispered, in awe of this woman’s capacity for forgiveness. 

‘Please tell me she took the deal?’ Her tone of voice was pleading and hopeful.

Tom nodded.

‘That was what all the meetings were about today. She thought she still had some wiggle room, but the barristers nipped that in the bud and after a few hours of communication back and forth, between her lawyers and mine, she decided that keeping her skinny ass out of prison with her reputation intact and a couple hundred-thousand pounds in hand, was more important than risking it all and try to get one over on me. The papers were signed this afternoon and immediately officiated, just before I texted you.’

‘Oh thank god.’ Ariel let out a relieved breath, sagging forward and closing her eyes for a few second. Then she looked up again. ‘How far along is she?’

‘She’ll be seventeen weeks along this Tuesday.’

‘Oh, wow, that’s quite a while underway. You never expected anything?’

‘No, we stopped sleeping together about two-and-a-half months ago, -which I now understand why, she didn't want me to discover it... yet- and then she was only five or six weeks along. She wasn't showing yet and she didn't suffer from any morning sickness, for as far as I would have been able to notice, with my busy shooting schedule.’ 

Ariel nodded in understanding.

‘That happens. When I was pregnant with Avery, my youngest, I felt so good and energetic after I found out, that I often questioned if I was really pregnant. Only after I started showing, did I have any physical proof that she was really there.’

‘You were able to have more children, after…’ He gestured to her stomach, indicating the now covered scar that bisected most of her torso. It occurred to him that he might be overstepping boundaries a bit, but she didn't seem to mind his question.

‘Yeah, no. Well, I wasn't supposed to. I was told by several specialists that I wouldn't be able to conceive again after the trauma my body suffered during delivery of my boys. Too much damage to the reproductive organs -something about me not producing sufficient lining in the uterus for an egg to gestate, due to scarring- and they had to remove one ovary during the operation, as it was necrotic. The other one had so much scar-tissue on it, the specialists doubted if it would ever produce an egg again.  The chances of me conceiving after that were nil, or so they said. They also said that if, against all expectations, I ever conceived again, it would be dangerous for me to carry the baby to term.  My body was deigned unsuitable for carrying a child because of too much internal scarring. My uterus could rupture when the baby grew, not being able too stretch as much as it should be able to. 

'I was three and a half months pregnant when we found out and the doctors advised me to terminate the pregnancy... But I couldn't do it. This was my child; a child that was there against all odds. A miracle of sorts. I persisted, fighting against a lot of outside pressure of people who wanted me to terminate. I took many precautions to minimise any risks. After I reached the six month mark, I was under constant supervision and on bedrest in the hospital’s gynaecological unit. And after a pregnancy of eight months, there she was, completely healthy, born the natural way. They didn't even have to induce me, the contractions started by themselves... We beat all the odds, my girl and I.’ Ariel smiled at him, eyes fierce and proud, glistening with unshed tears of happiness.

In that moment, it hit him how unbelievably beautiful she was, inside and out. And for a second he lamented the fact that the mother of his child wasn't more like her.  It wasn't to be helped, though. The chips fell where they may and he’d make the best of it, be the best dad a child could ever have. Being a single father wouldn't be easy, especially not with his job, but his mother and sisters had already promised to help him where they could, so he trusted that everything would work out in the end.

‘Ugh, would you just look at us! Couple of cry babies we are.’ She laughed while she patted her eyes dry with a napkin, careful to not smudge her eye-makeup.

Tom followed her example and dried his eyes with the palms of his hands. 

After a few minutes of amiable silence, in which they both calmed down from the emotional conversation, Ariel spoke up.

‘Shall we go see what your friends are up to? I’m getting a bit peckish and could eat something.’ She drained the last inch of wine from her glass in a few big gulps.

Tom agreed and stood, picking up both their empty wine glasses, Ariel following his initiative and picking up her bag and her glass of water, which was still half full.

Together they made their way over to the four men who were still seated at the front of the pub, their rambunctious laughter occasionally bursting through the murmur of the crowd.


	19. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alcohol... Prescription drugs... No mixing!
> 
> Aww... Too late...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last one for today.
> 
> G'night.

**Chapter 18**

 

Ariel saw that it had gotten busier in their absence. Quite a few families were enjoying their Sunday Roast, both inside as well as outside, on the terrace to the side of the pub. 

She looked up at Tom from where she was walking beside him, and saw that he had schooled his face back into the polite mask he showed the outside world. If you didn't look too closely you wouldn't know how tough and emotional their conversation had been, over the past hour. His eyes were just a bit red-rimmed, but otherwise there were no outward signs that he’d been distraught not ten minutes before. One could even blame the red tinge on summer allergies, if one had to.

As they moved through the thrum of people and tables, she suddenly got a bit dizzy. It was as if she'd spinned 'round and floated at the same time. Shaking her head, she tried to get rid of the strange feeling. It ebbed and flowed for a few seconds and then receded.

Her thoughts suddenly jumped to her own appearance. She hoped she didn't look like a mess and tried to catch a glimpse of herself in one of the many mirrors that hung on the walls. It worked with one of the lower hung mirrors. _Hm, not too shabby_ , she thought, all still seemed to be in order. Eyes fierce, hair even fiercer. She giggled, she did look like some sort of warrior, like Cian had said. Wait, why was she giggling?

Tom was greeted by Hemsworth when he put the wineglasses on their table. She’d stayed behind a bit to fish her phone out of her bag to check the time. Squinting at the screen she tried to make out the numbers. Did she forget to put in her contacts? She tried to remember. Ah, her vision cleared again. Five forty-five. Almost time for a new dose of painkillers… 

Pills… 

Drugs…

Suddenly her eyes grew wide in realisation.

‘Awww, FUCK!’ She exclaimed loudly, face-palming; causing a few people at tables around her to look up at her irritatedly.

Tom, who was in the process of sitting down on the sofa next to Evans’ chair, looked up, alarmed.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘I’m on really strong painkillers for my shoulder.’ she said.

Seeing the blank look on her companions’ faces, she elaborated.

‘And I just drank a big glass of wine… Like, a biiiiig one. Barry reeeaaalllly isn’t scrimpy with filling those glasses, is he?’ 

Bob jumped up from the sofa and was by her side in seconds. He pulled her away from their group and stepped outside, into the sunshine. The light was blinding after being inside for so long. Ariel shielded her eyes with her hand.

‘You got the pills on you?’ He asked, trying to look into her eyes while she tried to close them against the blinding light.

‘Um, yes? I’m due for another dose in fifteen minutes. Fuck, I should’ve remembered.’ She swayed a bit, getting dizzy again.

‘Gimme.’ Bob said, making grabby hands.

Ariel rummaged in her bag for the white and blue package. When she found it, she handed it to him and he turned it around in his hands before starting to read the ingredient list and the sticker that displayed her prescription. His face had a concentrated and serious expression for a change. No mockery or smirking going on at present.

As he read the prescription he looked up a few times, each time appraisingly regarding her form, from the top of her head down to her feet. If he hadn't seemed so serious she would have been completely creeped out.

‘What are you? Like 125, 130?' He asked.

‘Whuh?’ Ariel asked, confused.

‘Your weight? In pounds. How much?’ He inquired.

‘Oh… Um, 129. I think. Why?’

He grumbled and frowned, shaking his head.

‘What?’ she asked curiously. 

‘Stupid fucking doctors.’ He muttered, as he opened the package and regarded the pills. Then he slid them back into the box, closed it, looked at her and returned the painkillers to her bag.

‘They’ve given you some pretty strong narcotics here. How many have you had in the last twenty four hours?’

‘Four. One every six hours. As it says on the prescription.’

‘Fuckin’ hell.’ He breathed, narrowing his eyes at her. ‘Are you feeling okay?’

‘Um… Yeah?’ She had been feeling a bit light-headed every now and then, during the day, now that she thought about it, but she’d assumed it had been from not eating enough that day and later on from drinking the glass of wine. A nervous giggle bubbled up inside her, but she was able to suppress it, only barely.

‘Look,’ He said, ‘They’ve given you the standard dose for cases like this… Only without taking in consideration your smaller body mass. The standard dose is based on an adult male with an average weight of 175 to 190 pounds.  Which means he doses you’ve been taking are way too high. You only need about half a pill at a time to get the results the doctors were going for, which is, keeping you free of pain for about six hours. Anything more than that is overkill. And it can be dangerous if you keep it up for a few days.’

He moved in closer to her and stooped over a bit to look her in the eyes. He used the fingers of his right hand to open her left eye a bit wider, inspecting the pupil. The fact that she hardly reacted to the sudden invasion of her personal space worried her a bit, but only in a very far away part of her mind. Why was that? She wondered. 

A giggle escaped her, it suddenly felt all very funny. This whole situation was absurd. How was this her life now? Standing outside a pub in London, being lectured on drugs by the one and only Robert Downey Jr.  And then she wasn't even mentioning half the cast of the Avengers, who were lounging around inside said pub.

‘Well, congratulations, those doctors have succeeded in doping you up quite spectacularly. Let’s get you back inside and get some food in you. And a lot of water.’ He said when he stepped back.

‘But, what about the wine I drank? Isn’t that dangerous?’

‘From what I can see, it’s not going to be a real big problem. Otherwise you’d have had a violent reaction already.’ Bob entered the pub again and she followed on his heels.

‘So I’m gonna be okay?’

‘Yeah, just don't take any more painkillers until you’re starting to feel pain in your shoulder again. Should be around tomorrow morning. And from then, only take half a pill at a time. That’s more than enough.’

She snickered.

‘I’ve got my very own narcotics expert. Thanks, Bubble Bob!’ Her eyes were wide and shining as she blinked at him, the sudden darkness inside the pub making it difficult to focus.

‘Oooookaaaayyy. I think that the alcohol is starting to affect you.’ He drawled as he put an arm around her shoulders and steered her towards the others. ‘Let’s get you something to eat and see if we can get you a bit sobered up, honey.’

She mock frowned up at him.

‘I’m not Honey, I’m Ariel.’ She joked and burst out laughing. She was so funny.

‘She okay, mate?’ Hemsworth asked Bob, watching on, seemingly a bit worried, when the latter planted a still snickering Ariel on the chesterfield sofa between Tom and Sebastian. She grinned up at Tom, who was sitting at her left, and gave a small wave.

‘Yeah, high as a kite now that the alcohol is causing a minor reaction with her medication, but not too far gone. She’ll be fine in a few hours. Gotta keep an eye on her, though. Fucking doctors gave her painkillers meant for a man twice her size.’

Meanwhile, Ariel found herself sat snugly between two very tall and very handsome men. She looked from one to the other.

‘My life is weird.’ She stated to Sebastian and extended her left hand to him. ‘Hi, I’m Ariel.’

‘Sebastian, but you can call me Seb.’ Seb said, bringing her hand to his lips and planting a kiss there.

Evans and Hemsworth introduced themselves also. She turned back to Seb.

‘Hey Seb, you look like my son.’ She said.

Seb’s eyebrows rose up.

‘Really?’

‘Yep.’ Popping the p, she nodded. ‘Except for the colour of your eyes… And the shape of your nose… And his face is narrower… And his hair is longer.’ She frowned, confused. ‘Come to think of it, you don’t look like him at all.’ 

Suddenly smiling, she piped up, ‘But you’re both very pretty!’

Seb laughed, blushing a bit.

‘Well, thanks... I think...’ 

She got her phone out of her bag and opened the photo app.

‘Look! That’s him! Isn't he pretty?’

Seb’s eyes grew wide when he saw the picture.

‘That’s... your son?’

‘Yeah, I got two of them. Wanna see his twin?’

‘Ah, you’ve got twin boys?’ Hemsworth asked, immediately enthusiastic. ‘Me too! May I see them?’

Seb was still sitting next to her, holding her phone, staring at the photo of Cian. Ariel wondered why he looked so astonished by it. She shrugged it off and took the phone back from him.

Swiping through the pictures she had of her children she picked the selfie they’d made only last week. Avery had gotten a hold of her phone and she and her brothers had made a few lovely and funny pics of themselves. She’d only discovered them a few days later.

‘Here.’ She said as she handed Hemsworth her phone. ‘This one has their little sister in it too.’

‘Wow, you’ve got three kids?’ Evans asked, flabbergasted.

‘Yeah.’ She smiled.

Hemsworth laughed at Evans' thunderstruck expression and looked down at the picture. He frowned.

‘Something wrong?’ Ariel asked, surprised by his perplexed face.

He looked up at her, eyebrows rising.

‘Your kids are grown-ups?’ He asked.

‘Um, no. The boys are seventeen and Avery is ten.’

‘Lemme see!’ Bob reached out and grabbed the phone from Hemsworth. ‘Wow, that’s some pretty handsome offspring you’ve got there.’

Ariel beamed at him, feeling flattered.

‘Yes, but how?’ Seb asked.

‘Welllll... When a mummy and a daddy love each other very much…’ Ariel started off and grinned when the others started to laugh.

‘Oh, dear god, I didn't mean it like that!’ Seb interjected, horrified. ‘I meant, you are too young to have children that age.’

‘I’m not… as young as you obviously think I am…’ She winked. Next to her Tom snickered at his companions’ confusion. Ah yes, the handsome bastard already knew where this was going.

‘Right, you’re pranking us right now, aren’t you?’ Evans said, doubt all over his face.

‘Nope, I’m gonna bet you that with the exception of Bubble Bob over there, I’m older than all of you.’

‘No way!’ Hemsworth exclaimed. 

‘Yeah way!’ She answered, mocking up Hemsworth's deep voice.

‘What’s the bet?’ Evans asked, eyes twinkling. 

‘Hmmm, lemme think…’ Ariel looked up and tapped her chin with her fingers, drumming a rhythm.

Tom laughed.

‘Don’t take that bet!’ He said. ‘You’re going to lose.’

‘Aw, pooh! Spoilsport!’ Ariel pouted at him. He grinned back at her evilly.

‘No! Bad Loki!’ She pointed at him and wagged her index finger. 

Shaking his head, Tom snickered, apparently finding her very amusing. She was glad he was relaxing a bit after all the stress he’d had.

‘Well, don’t keep us in suspense, how old are you?’ Evans gazed at her curiously, leaning forward a bit.

‘Tsk tsk, boys. Never ask a lady her age! Didn’t your parents teach you anything?’ Ariel teased. ‘I’ll tell you what, I’ll give you a hint. I was born in the same month and year that ‘The Deer Hunter’ was released.’ 

‘Ah, DeNiro, Walken and Streep! Great movie!’ Bob said.

‘Wait, that was the seventies!’ Seb said.

‘Yup.’ Ariel snickered.

Evans was typing away on his phone. Probably pulling up IMDb.

‘Cheater!’ She called him out loudly and burst out laughing, for no reason, at all. Being high was sooooo funny. 

‘January 1979.’ He said, looking up at his friends.

‘Dingdingdingding. We’ve got a winner!’ She laughed.

‘You’re thirty-six?’ Seb asked disbelievingly.

‘And-a-half… Almost… Says so in my passport, so must be true.’ Grinning, she winked at him.

‘I thought you were, like, twenty-five, or something; twenty-seven, maybe…’

‘You married?’ Evans asked, eyes flitting over her hands in search of a ring. 

‘I was. But he’s gone now.’

‘His loss.’ He said, grinning.

She looked at him sharply and grimaced, he was killing her fucking buzz.

‘No, it’s mine, he died, you ass. Sheesh you’re a buzz kill.’

Evans paled and sucked in a breath.

‘Oh my god, I’m so sorry!’

Ariel sighed.

‘Yeah yeah, it’s okay, you didn't know.’ She waved it away, not wanting to dwell on it right now, she was having fun, real, grown up fun, for the first time in a long time and she planned to enjoy it.

Barry chose that time to come up to their table.

‘Soooo, you guys ready to order some food?’ 

‘Yes!’ Four men answered in unison, quickly turning to him. They were all obviously embarrassed by Evans’ faux pas.

In her state of mind it was a terribly funny, simultaneous movement and she laughed at their grimaces. As she breathed back in, the room started to spin for a moment, before coming back into focus.

Tom seemed to be the only one who had noticed, while the others were busy ordering food from Barry. He laid his arm over the back of the sofa behind her and leaned in when he saw her sway a bit. 

‘You okay?’ He murmured, his expression betraying concern. 

Ariel let out a shaky breath, blinking fast.

‘Yeah, got a bit dizzy there. Might be a good idea to eat something.’

Tom picked up a menu that was wedged between his left thigh and the sofa’s armrest and handed it to her.

‘Thanks.’ She smiled up at him sweetly.

‘You’re welcome.’ He warmly flashed her a quick smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners. He gave her a bit of breathing room as he sat back up straight, but she noticed his arm was still behind her on the sofa. Although her wasn't touching her, she could feel the warmth from his skin radiate against her shoulders. She suppressed a shudder. This time not from anger or revulsion. But she wasn't ready to admit that, yet, not even to herself.

Blushing a bit, she leaned forward, propping the menu up diagonally against the edge of the table, and started to study the options. Hmmmm, not too many choices in Veggie dishes… Only one starter, one main, a vegan burger and one salad. Bit disappointing…

She heard Tom place his order with Barry and she looked up as the man jotted it down on a small note block. He then waited patiently for her to make her choice from the menu.

‘Um, I’ll have the Cerney Ash Goats Cheese, Beetroot and Toasted Walnut Salad as a starter, please. So nothing too big, if that’s possible?’ She looked inquiringly at Barry, who nodded while writing it down. ‘Okay, and the Hippy Burger as a main, please. Oh, and can I have another glass of water, please.’ As soon as Barry finished writing everything down, she beamed at him and said a quick ‘thank you’ before sinking back into the couch and stretching her legs out in front of her.

As Barry walked off to get their orders settled, Hemsworth, Evans, Seb and Bob had started a conversation about who played the best pranks when they were on set.

Ariel felt very relaxed and the ebb and flow of their friendly banter was soothing. She let her thoughts drift from one subject to another, sometimes snickering at her own thoughts and sometimes at the amusing stories the men told. 

Tom sat quietly next to her, she could see his chest move up and down in sync with his breathing. 

‘You okay?’ She whispered softly at him, so as not to disturb the amusing conversation taking place in front of them.

When he didn't answer immediately, she lifted her head to look at him. He had a pensive look in his eyes while he stared straight ahead. Then he inclined his head and looked down at her. He smiled gently.

‘Yeah… yes. I believe I am.’ He whispered back

She smiled.

‘Good,’ Nodding, she moved her eyes to where Bob was apparently miming how he had pranked Sam Jackson, the other three men either laughing at him or at his antics; it wasn’t entirely clear to her. She giggled.

‘No matter the great, big badasses they portray on screen; they are a bunch of geeky jackasses when they’re not in front of the camera’s, aren't they?’

Tom rumbled a laugh.

‘They are that way even when they _are_ in front of them.’ he said quietly. ‘They’ve driven many a director bonkers with their pranks. Take, after take, after take, _ruined_ , because they couldn't keep their faces straight... I know it must be frustrating for the people behind the cameras, sometimes, but it works for the actors. And that camaraderie spills over onto the movie screens. The pranks and the humour keeps them... us, on our toes and makes us feel like we’re part of one big family. Each time I come back to do another Marvel film, it feels like a homecoming.’

‘Hmmmm.’ She hummed. ‘Must be nice.’

‘It is.’ He sighed happily, probably thinking back at some awesome times he’d had on set, Ariel thought.

An itch started on the side of her neck, under the strap of the arm brace and she scratched it. Ugh, her neck was getting a bit stiff and her skin was scuffed from holding up her arm like that all day. It wouldn't hurt to take the brace of for a bit, would it? Maybe also try to get a bit of movement in her right arm, to prevent it from becoming completely rusty.

Carefully, she lifted the strap up, bowing her head to more easily remove it. It got stuck in the edge of one of the bobby pins that were holding her hair in place.

‘Shit.’ She muttered and tried to pry the thing loose.

‘What are you doing?’ Seb suddenly leaned over to her, bowing down to see her quickly reddening face..

‘Dancing the Macarena!’ She answered irritably. ‘What does it look like, Ice Pick?’ 

The fucking thing was completely stuck. Ouch, she was pulling out her own hair.

‘Here, let me see.’ He pushed away her hands and started to pluck at the pin.

‘Hey! Ow ow ow! You’re gonna leave me bald if you keep pulling!’ She tried to push him away, to no avail.

‘No, I’ve almost got it.’ He said.

Then Tom interfered.

‘You’re turning it the wrong way, look, I think I see how…’

Ariel almost howled in pain.

‘Oops, sorry.’ Tom said.

‘If you two don’t fucking stop, I’m gonna punch you in the nuts! You’re both in the exact right position!’ She growled vindictively. Within a second, the pulling on her hair stopped, and the men simultaneously closed their legs as quickly as they could, both half turning away from her. She snickered and then started laughing loudly. Sitting up again she pulled her arm from the brace. The thing was now dangling from her head.

‘Ha! That was so funny!’ She giggled

Chris Hemsworth stood up and leaned over the table. He motioned with his hands for her to turn a bit.

‘As I am the only one here with experience with long hair getting stuck everywhere.’ When the men started laughing he shook his head. ‘-No, not mine, India’s-… Let me take a look.’

Ariel sighed and turned her head a bit so he could look at where the strap had snatched her hair.

It took him only a few seconds to get the thing out, without any pain, his big hands gentle as can be. He grinned triumphantly at Tom and Seb.

‘And that’s how you do it.’

‘Thanks, Chris.’ She said gratefully, patting her hair down a bit where it was sticking out at an angle.

‘No worries, Ariel.’ He beamed, sitting back down.


	20. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An evening of merrymaking :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this really is the last one for today. ;)
> 
> Enjoy, and Good Night. Again.

**Chapter 19**

 

Moving her shoulder a bit, she was surprised that there was next to no pain. It was a bit stiff though. Bending and stretching her arm felt good after it had been stuck in one position all day.

‘Careful with that.’ 

She looked up. 

Bob gestured to her arm.

‘It doesn't hurt now because you're all doped up. Doesn't mean it’s all better. Be careful with it, otherwise you’ll have a setback and you’ll be in even more pain tomorrow.’

Ariel nodded in understanding.

‘Right. Thanks Bob.’

Their food started to arrive at that very moment and within five minutes they were all enjoying their starters.

The salad was very good and just enough to whet the appetite. Drinking her water, Ariel looked around the table, at the men who were savouring their food and talking about anything and everything. Lots of laughter and banter was being thrown back and forth. All without any malice. You’d think there would be rivalry between these giants, but they were all so easygoing. And they’d made her feel welcome in their midst. Her, a complete nobody, was in the presence of the top actors in showbiz. It felt so surreal.

As the empty starter plates were cleared, a little girl, who looked to be about six, or seven, years old, approached Hemsworth.

‘Are… Are you Thor?’ She squeaked shyly.

Chris smiled his big smile and sat up straight. Ariel could see him slip into Thor’s skin.

‘Why yes, Milady, I am. Might I ask for your name?’

‘R…Rosie.’ She whispered.

Chris took her hand and shook it.

‘I am honoured to meet you, Lady Rosie. How may I be of service?’

Rosie coloured and giggled a bit.

‘Can I give you a hug?’

Chris immediately opened his bulky arms and she jumped up and put hers around his neck, almost completely disappearing in his hug. After a few seconds he let her go and she was on her feet again, beaming up at him.

‘Thanks.’ She said, a bit more confident.

‘You are very welcome, Lady Rosie.’ He smiled.

She laughed happily and ran off to her parent’s table. Ariel followed the girl with her eyes and she saw that the mum had recorded the meeting on her phone. _That will be a lovely memory for later_ , she thought, smiling to herself.

‘What are we? Chopped liver?’ Seb asked, sounding mock insulted.

‘You’re not-Thor.’ Ariel said.

He stuck out his tongue at her, pulling a face, both of which she wholeheartedly returned.

‘Ah man, those are always the best ones.’ Evans sighed, looking at the girl who was animatedly telling her mum and dad about her adventure.

‘What do you mean?’ Ariel asked curiously.

‘You know, all those fan meetings with adults at cons and stuff are great and all, but the kids, man, they’re awesome. Open-minded, not jaded by life, honest and full of energy. And the happiness on those faces when they’ve met their hero or heroine. There’s nothing like it.’ He explained.

‘I can imagine.’ She agreed, thinking about her own very active and spirited children. ‘Which reminds me, I promised my kids I’d stay safe and send them a message and a pic if I found some guy to hang out with for the rest of the night. You guys wanna take a photo with me?’

‘Yay! Selfies!’ Bob clapped his hands excitedly.

Laughter ensued as all five men clambered onto the sofa, trying to all fit in the picture with her… After a few tries at selfies she sighed, frustrated.

‘This isn't gonna work, guys, my arms are too short and there are to many of you, or you’re all too big, pick one of the above.’

Barry arrived with two plates of Sunday Roast in his hands. He burst out laughing at the sight of the five broad and tall men, trying to fold themselves into weird poses so they’d be able to be in the picture with Ariel. He put down the plates of hot food on their table.

‘Wait, wait.’ He said. ‘I’ll take the pic, if you guys can just push the sofa a bit more forward. Yes, like that. Chris Hemsworth, stand behind it. Ariel, sit in front of him, on the back of the sofa. Yes, that’s good. Now, Tom and other Chris, sit next to her. And Bob and Seb, you sit on the sofa next to her feet. Yup, perfect.’

Ariel handed him her phone.

‘Okay, I’m gonna take a couple. Say cheese!’ 

Everyone smiled dutifully, and sat straight in the first pic.

In the second one Ariel lifted her arms -her left a bit higher than her right- and spread her hands like she was a showgirl dancer, surrounded by hunks. As she tilted her head a bit, they all leaned in a bit more toward her.

The third is where it all went downhill. Hemsworth made bunny ears behind Tom and Chris’ heads and at the same time Tom and Chris did the same to Seb and Bob.

The fourth was taken as everyone discovered what the others were doing and where Ariel was laughing her ass off.

And the fifth was total mayhem, with the guys pushing each other over and Hemsworth falling face first over the back of the sofa, Legs flying, being pulled down by ways of his belt, courtesy of a vengeful Tom.

‘Alright, guys, that’s enough, don’t wreck my pub please.’ Barry chastised. 

Still laughing, everyone collected themselves, straightening clothes and hair and they sat down on their respective seats again, waiting for their main course to be served.

‘Man, that was fun.’Bob giggled.

Ariel sent the second picture to Cian’s phone, accompanied by, ' _I found some guys; they’re fun. Hanging out with them for the rest of the night. Sleep tight my darlings! XOXO Mum.'_

 

18:55 Cian _\- Whaaaaaatttttttt????? WTF?????? You’re serious?!?!?! OMG OMG OMG!!!!_

18:55 Ariel - _Yup, totally happening right now. What_ is _my life?!?_

18:56 Cian - _You’re soooo lucky, I’m stuck here with my proverbial evil step-siblings and you get to go to the ball??? With FIVE!!!! princes?!?! How is this fair?!? This isn't fair, mum!_

18:57 Ariel - _Life’s not fair, Ci. I’m just rolling with the punches here._

18:59 Cian - _Yeah, you’re having a hard time, I can see it. There’s no fun had. At. All._

19:00 Ariel - _Ah, dinner has arrived. I’ll speak to you later, son._

19:03 Cian - _You do that, brushing off your son like he’s dandruff. You better get some more pictures. And maybe a date. Do any of them want to be my stepdad?_ _I NEED_ _one of them as my stepdad. Or two. I’m not squeamish. Maybe you could arrange a godfather too? Sugar daddy? Boyfriend for me? PLZZZ?!_

19:03 Ariel - _Good night, Ci. XXX_

19:04 Cian - _Yeah yeah, you keep being selfish, hoarding your Candy, you Grinch! G’night._ _*deep-long-suffering-sigh-of-despair*_

 

She was still snickering when Seb suddenly fished her phone out of her fingers and started reading the text convo she'd just had with her son.

‘Hey! That's private!’ 

He chuckled. 

‘Your son has a wicked sense of humour.’

‘Oooh, lemme see!’ Bob interjected and grabbed for the phone while leaning over Hemsworth, who was trying to take a sip of his ale, causing him to spill some of it over his shirt. 

‘Hey! Watch out, mate.’

Bob righted himself again, triumphantly clutching Ariel’s phone. He read the texts and started cackling.

‘You have to introduce us to your kids one day! My god, we’re gonna have so much fun!’ He mock wiped away a tear of mirth.

‘Um, yeah, no, not gonna happen, Bubble Bob. I’m not letting you corrupt my evil twins even more than they already are, thank-you-very-much.’ She folded her arms in front of her. ‘And it’s not like I’ll see you guys ever again after today. This was just a chance meeting.’

Bob clutched at his chest.

‘You wound me! I would never! And from what I read here, they will corrupt _me_ before I ever get the chance to corrupt them. Your son's the one trying to sell you into a bigamist relationship.’ 

Then he sobered up a bit.

‘All joking aside, is it okay if I send myself the pics we just took? They are hilarious.’ He was swiping through them at a high speed pace.

‘Yeah, sure, go ahead.’

Bob typed for a long time before he hit send and all around her she could hear phones pinging and jingling. The sneaky bugger had sent the pics to everybody.

‘So, now we all have your number. There’s no way you won't see us again. We will keep in touch. Pestering you until you break and come hang out with us once more. Or twice. Any of you guys object to her having your number? I’ll erase it if you do.’

‘A friend of my brother is a friend of mine.’ Hemsworth grinned as he dug up his phone from his jeans pocket.

The others didn't seem to mind either. All of them busily typing to save her number and name into their phone’s memory.

‘Uh... wow.’ Ariel said, flabbergasted.

Bob handed her back her phone just as Barry arrived with the last plates of dinner. Everyone dug in while she scrolled through her phone contacts. Tin Man, Capsicle, Frosty, Hammertime. She laughed at the nicknames. He’d left Tom’s name untouched in the list. She raised an eyebrow.

‘No Reindeer Games?’ She asked.

‘Didn’t have the time to change that. I still can if you want?’ He reached out his hand for the phone.

‘No thanks. I like it like this.’ She smiled as she put her phone away and picked up the arm brace from where it had fallen to the ground. 

‘Anyone object about me putting the pics up on my twitter, later?’ She asked as she folded it up and shoved it into her bag.

None of them objected.

‘Tag me, I’ll retweet.’ Said Evans.

‘Yeah, me too.’ Bob said, raising his hand.

‘Oh, and me! I have a twitter account now, too!’ Hemsworth piped up after he swallowed his food.

‘Well, I don't have twitter, but if you tag me on Insta, I’ll repost.’ Seb said.

‘You may tag me too, if you want.’ Tom said from next to her.

She looked to the side and smiled at him before looking back to the rest of the men.

‘Okay, thanks guys.’

The rest of the evening went by in a haze of laughter, good conversation and lots of beer for Tom, Seb, Hemsworth and Evans and Coke for Bob and Ariel.

Every now and then they were approached by people who wanted a picture, or who just wanted to tell the men they liked their work. Nothing too pushy or untoward, she noticed. The men all took it in stride. Part of the job description, they said, when she asked if it ever bothered them.

Before she knew it, it was nearly eleven and Barry shouted through the pub about the last round coming up. Almost time to go home. 

The giggles and dizziness she’d experienced over the whole of the night were decreasing and she hadn't had any trouble with focusing for about the last hour. She was thankful for that, as she still had to walk the six hundred meters back home and she’d rather be sober enough to do that. 

Next to her, Tom yawned and stretched his hands above his head, causing his t-shirt to ride up, revealing the bottom part of his tummy, which was impressively defined. Ariel quickly looked away before someone caught her staring. Her eyes fell on Bob, who was leaning backwards in his chair, hands folded over his belly, legs stretched out in front of him. He was grinning at her and wiggling his eyebrows, looking back and forth between Tom and her with only his eyes; all this, somehow, without alarming anyone to his silent innuendo. She frowned at him and mouthed a silent ‘fuck off’. His grin grew even wider.

Hemsworth caught the last part of their communication and looked between them with a confused expression on his face, before shrugging to himself and joining the conversation between Evans and Seb.

Tom had stopped stretching his long limbs and rubbed his hands over his face.

‘Long day?’ Bob asked.

‘Long few months.’ He answered.

‘You still with that blonde?’

‘Nope, we broke up.’

‘Really? Haven’t seen anything in the rags.' Bob said. 'Or the papers.’ He added.

‘Not yet. It will be all over the press tomorrow though. We mutually released a statement this evening. Probably on the net already.’ Tom sighed.

The other men had stopped their discussion and were silent.

‘Aw, shit, man, I’m sorry.’ Evans said eventually, looking sad.

‘Yes, brother, why didn't you say anything?’ Hemsworth asked, visibly upset for his friend.

‘It wasn't pretty, let’s just keep it at that for the moment, okay?’ Tom said. It was clear to everyone he didn't really want to talk about it.

‘Mate, it sucks, breaking up. We understand you don't wanna talk right now, but if you ever feel the need, we’re only a phone-call away.’ Hemsworth said.

Tom smiled at his friend and nodded.

‘Thanks man.’

Ariel emptied her glass by drinking the last few sips and stood up.

‘Well, I’m going to the ladies room and then it’s off to bed for me. I’ve got a busy day tomorrow.' She said.

Tom and Chris Evans stood up so she could pass them and she made her way up the stairs to the toilets.

When she walked back down after doing her business, the rest of the men were standing too. It looked like everyone was planning on leaving at the same time. They were quietly talking and laughing amongst themselves as she observed them a minute from the second to last step of the stairs. 

Suddenly Tom looked up, straight at her. He was the only one who was facing the stairs and when their eyes met she saw an intensity in his gaze that threw her in a tailspin. She felt like a deer in headlights, butterflies starting to tumble through her tummy. Holy hotness! Then he blinked and the look was gone, his eyes once again twinkling up at her in a friendly manner. It taken only a few seconds for him to throw her insides into a hot mess. Quickly, she broke eye contact and breathed shakily when she descended the rest of the stairs. _Fucking hell, what was that?_

When she joined the group, she discovered that they had all decided to walk her home. She didn't even try to object. Who wouldn't love to be walked home by half the Marvel cast. No way she was refusing that.

So, that’s how, at eleven thirty, she was delivered home safely by five giants. As she hugged them all goodbye, the front door to her house opened and two dark haired young men came rolling out, phones at the ready.

After five minutes of taking pictures and selfies with her overly excited sons, the men all said goodbye and the group broke up. 

Tom and Hemsworth went back up the road to Tom’s house. Ariel suspected Tom was going to confide in Chris. Tell him about the disaster his life had become over the past couple of weeks.

The other three went down the road to the Chalk Farm Underground to take the tube up to Hampstead, where the four -Hemsworth included- of them were staying, while they were doing some re-shoots on Civil War. Apparently Hemsworth -who wasn't going to be in Civil War- was in town to shoot some sort of Marvel short. 

She wasn't supposed to know all this, but as the evening went on and the beer flowed, they'd started to get a bit more loose-lipped around her and she’d picked up all sorts of interesting tidbits. Not that she was talking, mind you, she didn't want to get the guys in trouble with their employers. She'd heard the jokes about the snipers and hitmen.

That night, after telling the twins all about her evening -The fun parts only, of course-, she was laying in bed, checking her social media accounts, when she remembered she wanted to put the group photo’s up on Twitter.

How to summarise her awesome night into a hundred-and-forty characters and tag the people who were in the photo, at the same time?

It took her a few tries and two tweets, but it worked.

 

**_Ariel Dekker_ ** _@ArielDekker 1 Jun 2015_

_Fun had w/ @chrishemsworth @twhiddleston @ChrisEvans @RobertDowneyJr #SebastianStan #Thor #Loki #TeamCap #TeamIronMan #WinterSoldier 1/2_

 

**_Ariel Dekker_ ** _@ArielDekker 1 Jun 2015_

_How is this my life?!? Look who I found in a pub today! #Evans #Hemsworth #Hiddleston #RDJ #Stan #coupleofgeeks #iminlove #sohot #wow 2/2_

 

To the first tweet she attached the first, third, fourth and fifth pic and to the second tweet she attached she second pic they took, where she was smiling with a surprised-but-manically-happy look on her face with her arms spread wide while the guys were all laughing at her antics.

 

Within seconds she had a notification.

**_Robert Downey Jr_ ** _followed you_

 

And another.

**_Tom Hiddleston_ ** _followed you_

 

And another.

**_Chris Evans_ ** _and_ **_Chris Hemsworth_ ** _followed you_

 

And another.

**_Tom Hiddleston_ ** _and three others liked your tweet._

 

And…

**_Chris Evans_ ** _and three others retweeted your tweet_

 

And then there was an explosion of likes and follows from others, and retweets. And comments. Too many to read them all. Wow. 

She shook her head in disbelief and turned off her phone. She'd look at everything tomorrow. For now, she was too exhausted.

Time to sleep.


	21. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bob is a manipulative little shit...

**Chapter 20**

 

The following morning had Ariel waking up to a changed world, social media wise, and she wasn't sure if she was up to it, after seeing the chaos that had been caused by just a few tweets.

 

**_Chris Hemsworth_ ** _@chrishemsworth 1 Jun 2015_

_I found my wife’s long lost sister from another mister in London. What are the odds! @ArielDekker & @ElsaPataky_ You have to meet! #family_

He’d attached a selfie he’d made with her the night before. They were both pulling faces and baring their teeth, accompanied by a grotesque show of nostrils. Ariel face-palmed. Oh god, she’d been so high last night. She swore to herself to never, ever, let herself go near her social media accounts, ever again, when she was intoxicated. 

 

**_Robert Downey Jr_ ** _@RobertDowneyJr 1 Jun 2015_

_Y didnt u tell me u were such an #amazingartist @ArielDekkerArt? U got me thinking UR just a #tinygirl w/a #bigmouth. #HolyShit! #pixie_

A beautiful pic, featuring her, seen en profil, was attached. He’d probably taken it secretly, later last night, when she was getting a bit tired and just listened to all the stories the men were telling instead of partaking in the discussions.

The photo’s background was out of focus and it was a bit dark, but her face was in focus and a sliver of light from one of the lamps, fell over her one visible eye. It almost glowed as she was staring into space, her face carrying a dreamy expression and a soft smile playing around her closed lips. Wow, the man had a talent in photography, who knew.

 

**_Chris Evans_ ** _@ChrisEvans 1 Jun 2015_

_Does #Marvel really need #SebastianStan? #WinterSoldier #Rival #MakeHimDisappear #JK #OrAmI @ArielDekker #MaybeGetRidOfLokiToo #Goodidea_

Ariel laughed at this tweet. He’d attached a pic of him and Seb kissing her on a cheek each -When had that photo been taken?!-. They were en profil, while she grinned into the lens. He was such a dweeb.

 

**_Tom Hiddleston_ ** _@twhiddleston 1 Jun 2015_

_Wow! My friend @ArielDekker is a talented woman. Check her art @ArielDekkerArt. #artist #illustrator #comicbookartist #Marvel #Loki_

She tapped the link to his profile and scanned his other tweets. 

Oh... Shit... His first tweet since April 27th and it was about her. That would generate some speculation, she was sure. Any woman he gave a bit of attention to was usually immediately linked to him as a romantic interest. Especially now his breakup with Zoe Cameron had hit the papers, and the net. 

He’d attached a picture of the Loki painting that hung in Stan Lee’s house in LA. Nothing too personal. Smart. Probably screened by Luke first.

It was very nice of the guys to want to give her a bit of publicity, but they hadn't thought about what an online, and logistical, nightmare it would be for her. Especially since her account settings weren’t set to handle being internet famous and had to process a huge influx of traffic, all of a sudden.

Ariel had a feeling that she'd be wading through a swamp of tweets, DM’s and emails all morning. First, she disconnected her Twitter email-notifications and her twitter DM’s because her inboxes had exploded. She was just thankful that she always filed important emails immediately, so she only had to skim over the new emails to pick out the ones that mattered, to put them in her files, and then start deleting page after page of twitter notifications for both her twitter accounts. 

Every time she deleted a page a new one appeared in the queue; apparently there were still messages coming in from before she’d turned off the Twitter notification emails. This was the reason why she hurried to set all her other accounts -on Facebook, Instagram and Tumblr- to private. She was beginning to get notifications from those, too, so she just cut that off before it became a problem. She’d deal with those things later.

By the time lunch came around, all unwanted emails were deleted and she had adjusted the settings on her Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts from private, to a limited form of public. They were still accessible for reading, liking, sharing and commenting on her posts, but she had blocked people from DM-ing her on all her accounts and she wouldn't get email notifications when someone liked, commented or shared something from her pages.  She had also chosen to disable all social media related phone notifications, because she was being driven nuts by her phone, flashing every couple of seconds. 

As she was eating a sandwich at the dinner table -she was on her own for today, Avery was at a friend’s house and the boys were out shopping for summer clothes-, her phone pinged with a text message -the only notifications she hadn't disabled by now-.

 

**_Tom H._ **

12:45 Tom - _Just landed. Heard from Zoe’s lawyers. She vacated the house on Mallorca and went home to the States. She’ll send updates on pregnancy progress._

Which meant Tom wouldn't be able to physically be present for most check-ups and ultrasound-appointments. The vindictive woman had cut him out of an important part of the pregnancy process, by flying back to the US. Ariel felt very sad for him. She knew that she was supposed to still be angry with him, but after last night, she couldn't find it in her heart to keep treating him with disdain. It wasn't right that he'd blown up on her like that, but she'd forgiven him. She now understood what had been behind the viciousness he'd shown; all the stress, and the anger, and the grief. She'd decided to cut him some slack. That didn't mean she'd forget, though. 

12:47 Ariel - _Good to hear you arrived safely. I’m so sorry to hear that, Tom. Have you atleast made arrangements for when she’s going into labour? So you can bepresent when your child is born?_

12:50 Tom - _She has a few concerts in London at the beginning of September and afterthat she will be staying in a flat in NW3 until the baby comes. So yes, I’ll beable to be there. The only condition she set for her cooperation was that shedoesn't have to see me or have contact with me until she goes into labour._

12:51 Ariel - _:(_

12:51 Tom - _Indeed._

12:53 Tom - _How are you doing? I heard from Luke that you’ve garnered quite a lot of attention from theinternet-dwellers. ;)_

Okay, apparently the conversation on Zoe was over for now.

12:58 Ariel - _Luke is an old, loose lipped, gossip goose. >:-/ But, yes, thanks to a few followsand likes and retweets from persons to remain unnamed at this moment, I’ve had to process an incredibly heavy backlog of DMs and email- notifications. :-/As my accounts were not set to holy-shit-I’m-famous-on-the-net settings, my inboxes have exploded as a result. Only just finished with getting itall in order and am now enjoying a well-deserved sandwich for lunch. :)_

13:00 Tom - _Oops_

13:01 Tom - _My bags are here, gotta go & find my ride and then get ready to kill somepeople… on set. ;)_

13:04 Ariel - _That’s all you have to say for yourself? Oops? Thanks a lot! >:-|  _ _Okay, have a good shoot and don’t murder them too hard. That shit hurts._

13:05 Tom - _I can’t help it, it’s in my nature. 3:-) Thanks, I’m sure the shoot will go fine, we’ve got a great director. No promises on the murder; at most I’ll try to killthose weaklings softly. 3:-)_

13:05 Ariel - _That’s not really comforting, like, at. all. O.o_ __

13:06 Ariel - _Oh, and your Loki is showing._

13:06 Tom - _No worries, nobody’s going to get hurt. Much. Ehehehe >:-)_

13:07 Tom - _Always! :P Bye!_

13:05 Ariel - _C ya!_

 

Chuckling, Ariel put her phone down and took a bite from her sandwich while scrolling through her work related emails, on her laptop. 

Her arm was back in the brace and it was slow going, but she managed to type a few replies to people she was supposed to create artwork for. It was regrettable, but as long as her right arm was out of commission, she wouldn't be able to finish up the projects she was working on.  She hoped her clients would be understanding as to why her work had been delayed. She wasn't too worried about it though, as most of them knew her personally, and would also know that she wouldn't exceed deadlines on purpose, unless the reason for the delay was very serious.

It didn't take long for her to hear back from all four clients and with that all settled, a big weight was lifted from her shoulders. They’d agreed with the delay of six weeks, to give her the chance to completely heal, and get her dexterity back after that long of a time of rest. This meant she wouldn't have anything on her plate until at least halfway through July, when she would start working again. 

Ugh, she didn't like to be idle for that long. Careful to not jostle her shoulder she bent forward and laid her forehead on the table, breathing an irritated sigh.

*Ping*, went her phone. She sat up and looked at it, surprised. She wasn't expecting any more communications. Picking it up, she opened the message screen.

 

**_Luke Windsor_ **

14:09 Luke - _Who is the best publicist?_

14:09 Ariel - _???_

14:11 Luke - _I am! I found you an agent! Or she found me. Semantics. She wants to meet you and is very interested in signing you. She even has a few events for you to attend, if you’re interested._

 

 _Say what now?!?_ Ariel stared at the message, and blinked… and blinked again… Nope, still the same.

 

14:14 Ariel - _But I’m not an actor. Why would I need an agent?_

14:16 Luke - S _he’s a talent-scout/agent to upcoming talented artists. Comes very well recommended. She saw your work and loved it, apparently. She contacted me first thing this afternoon. I did a background check and everything and she’s legit._

14:20 Ariel - _Recommended? By whom exactly?_

14:22 Luke - _Robert Downey Jr._

 

If her eyebrows could raise any higher, they'd be under her hairline by now. The _fuck?_ Did she read that right? What the hell did that man do now?

 

14:23 Ariel - _Please hold. I have to check something. brb._

14:23 Luke - _What? Why?_

 

**_Tin Man_ **

14:27 Ariel - _Bob, WTF man?! what did you do? I got my publicist on the other line telling me I’ve apparently acquired a prospective talent agent in the past few hours?_

14:28 RDJ - _Hey Pixie! Guess who just got you into SDCC? Was talking to Stan Lee andhe’s pulled some strings. He’s happy you’re back to drawing and making artand sends his love._

 

Ariel stared at her phone, not sure if she wasn't still high. Did she really take only half a dose of painkiller this morning? She wasn't so sure anymore. It felt like she'd taken two, or something, her day was turning out to be too weird to be real. Quickly she typed out a reply.

 

14:31 Ariel - _Um, what? Why would you do that?_

14:37 RDJ - _You, my Pixie, are too talented to not become famous for your work. It would have happened eventually, I just pushed up the time-frame a bit._

14:37 Ariel - _But why? You hardly know me… O.O_

14:41 RDJ - _Sometimes, when I find someone really talented, I try to give them a little boost, so they can get to making even better art sooner than they would have when they’d have to do it all on their own. Stan told me, you were already well on your way when your husband got ill, so I decided to level the playing field and put you back to where you were before all that sickness and death happened. Pulled some strings, dropped some hints, spoke to some people… The usual. Expect a few more things coming your way soon. And sign that contract with Elise. ;)_

 

Ariel let out a shuddering breath and rubbed her stinging left eye behind her glasses. She was about to cry from his generosity. 

If it had been at another time in her life, she would have refused his offer, but she was getting older and the window to be discovered as the young, successful newcomer in the art scene, was getting smaller. She’d be crazy not to take this chance.

 

14:43 Ariel - _Wow. Thank you :’) and I will. Contacting my publicist as we speak._

14:44 RDJ - _You do that. Remember, all I did was pull a few strings, the rest is up to you. It’s going to be a lot of hard work. And I expect you to slay at SDCC with me and get into trouble and have a lot of shenanigans! Oh, this is going to be so much fun! I won't have the time to get bored this year!_

 

What? Did he really...?

 

14:46 Ariel - _Wait. You did all this so you could bring me to comic con? So you wouldn't be... bored?!? O.o_

14:46 RDJ - _No idea what ya talking about._

14:46 Ariel - _Right… :-\_

14:47 RDJ - _Gotta go, bye._

14:47 Ariel - _Yeah, you better run! Manipulative old man!_

14:47 Ariel - _But still, Thank you! :D_

 

**_Luke Windsor_ **

14:25 Luke - _Ariel?_

14:27 Luke - _Ariel? What are you doing?_

14:30 Luke - _Why aren't you answering me?_

14:36 Luke - _Getting a bit worried… Shall I call you? Are you okay?_

14:45 Luke - _I’m about to come over there and check on you! Where are you?_

 

Ariel switched back to her conversation with Luke and read the texts he'd sent her over the past twenty-five minutes. She snickered at his half panicky texts.

 

14:48 Ariel - _Hey Luke. I’m back. Had to check on something. When does Elise want tomeet?_

14:50 Luke - _Really professional, Dekker! Leaving a business conversation like that. Yeah, she was talking about early tomorrow morning? About 8:30? That ok with you?_

14:51 Luke - _Wait, how did you know her name is Elise? I never told you that._

14:55 Ariel - _A manipulative little old man told me. He wanted me to come to SDCC withhim and ‘the gang’ so he wouldn't get bored, so, he pulled a few strings. Canyou believe the nerve of that man?!? I told him exactly how I felt about that._

14:55 Luke -  _What? You just had a convo with RDJ?_

14:56 Ariel - _Yeah, but n_ _ever mind. I told him off._

14:56 Luke - _Oh dear. You’re not doing it then?_

14:58 Ariel - _Of course I’m signing with that agent! I’m not young enough or stupidlystubborn enough -at least in that part of my life- to think I could do it all on my own. If and when you get a chance like this you take it and you roll with it. No matter what._

14:58 Ariel - _The Tin Man apparently loves me and my snark; believe it or not, he thinks I’m ahoot._

15:00 Luke - _Thank god, I already scheduled you in for an appointment tomorrow morning and thought I’d have to call her back to cancel. She’s one intimidating woman._

 

Ariel laughed, she could just imagine Luke’s relieved face now he’d gotten her to cooperate. 

They sent a few more texts back and forth to confirm the time and location of the meeting and then said goodbye. 

She checked her calendar for the coming few days and came to the conclusion that it would get a bit busy, but nothing she couldn't handle. 

So, meeting with Luke and Elise at 8:30 tomorrow morning, then taking the twins to the airport at 13:30 and after that, getting some shopping done for the picnic on Hampstead Heath.  Then on Wednesday the picnic with Sophie and helping Avery with making a costume for her end of year school recital.

Other than that her week was relatively quiet. She was looking forward to a few days of sleeping in and lazying around before Avery’s school began again. After that she’d find something to keep herself occupied until her shoulder had healed enough to try and draw a few things again and get her dexterity back. Her arm was still quite stiff, and although she moved her arm and shoulder every few hours to keep it mobile, it didn't really let up.

Bob’s recommendation on halving her dose had had a good effect. She wasn't feeling as loopy as she had been and it still kept the pain more than bearable.

She closed her laptop after she added the appointment with Elise to her calendar.

Humming softly, she walked to the hallway, stepped into a pair of light blue ballerinas and grabbed her bag. It was still nice out, so she wouldn't need a coat. Her jeans and t-shirt were warm enough for the late spring weather.

Time to pick up Avery from her friend’s house and then do some shopping for dinner. She was expecting the boys home at around five, so they’d have a nice dinner together before the twins left for their holiday, tomorrow.


	22. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is that... flirting?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing.
> 
> I make no money from this.
> 
> This is my Sandbox. I like building castles. :)

**Chapter 21**

Two days later, on Wednesday afternoon, Ariel found herself having a picnic on Hampstead Heath, with Sophie and Avery.

‘Owwww, I’m so full.’ Sophie bemoaned as she rubbed her stomach. ‘And I’m so ready for this baby to be born… I feel like a beached whale. Everything is bloated and I have to pee all the time.’

‘I feel like I’m about to have a baby too. Look at my tummy. I ate soooo much!’ Ariel complained back at her friend, as she pointed to her distended stomach.

They were reclining on a picnic blanket, heads resting on their folded and rolled up coats as they enjoyed the warm sunny afternoon on a sloping hill on the Heath.  Avery was playing close by with some children who had brought a football. Their laughter and squeals were loud enough for the women to sometimes have to cover their ears.

Ariel turned toward the other woman.

‘How are Ben’s rehearsals going? Well, I hope?’

‘Yes, they’re making good progress. They’ll have everything in order, well before opening day, if they keep this up. Ben’s very happy with it, because it means he’ll be able to be take a few more days off when the baby’s born.’

‘That’s fantastic!’ Ariel smiled at her friend and then looked back at the sky and sighed, remembering the times when she was pregnant and all the worries that had come with it. She was grateful that her friend had had a lovely pregnancy with no complications. 

‘And you? What is the ‘Buxom Browie’ going to do now that she’s signed with a big shot art talent agency?

Ariel laughed, the corners of her eyes crinkling. Yesterday morning she’d signed with Elise Landman’s talent agency and Elise and Luke were working on setting up a work and promotion schedule, that also took into account that she had a ten year old at home who needed her to be present.

‘Well, apparently I’ll be flying to San Diego in July. A certain Tin Man wants me to attend SDCC because my exceptional talent just has to be showcased -in his words, not mine-. 

‘Oh, and I received an invitation from Stan Lee to attend the premiere of Ant-Man on July 8th in London, so that’s cool. And after that we’ll just see what comes my way. Elise was talking about London Comic Con in October and wanted to see if she could get me into the BFI Gala, for networking reasons. Lots of elbow rubbing to be done when working on a career in the arts, or so I’m told. Something about who you know, and all that…’

‘Wow, That’s so great! I’m happy for you.’ Sophie poked Ariel’s ribs, evoking a small cry in protest from her friend. ‘Look at you, being all famous and important, and career-y!’ She teased.

‘Yeah.’ Ariel breathed. ‘Who would’ve thought. Only seven months ago I was on the verge of losing my house and now I’m living in London and I’ve made some wonderful friends and met a few people who I never thought I’d ever meet. My life is so weird.’

‘So are all our lives, Ari. Sometimes I wish we had a bit more privacy, but then I look at what we have and who we’ve met and the friends we’ve made because of it and I wouldn’t change it for the world. You just have to find that fine balance between sharing with the world and keeping things private. Which Luke is helping us with, tremendously, by the way.’

‘Yes, I heard. So Ben is signing with Prosper to do his PR?’

‘Yup. We’re very happy with how Luke is handling all the press surrounding our relationship and our baby.’

‘That’s good to hear. So the paps have been leaving you alone more, ever since you gave that interview?’

Sophie nodded.

‘Yes, thank god. I’m not hunted down every time I step outside anymore. They’re keeping their distance. I feel so much more relaxed, now.’

Ariel was glad that that part of the stress had been lifted from Sophie’s shoulders. She did seem more relaxed than before, so that was a very good thing.

‘How are things between Ben and Tom? Did they get the chance to work everything out before Tom left for Mallorca?’

‘Yes, Sunday night Tom, and Chris Hemsworth, came by. It was already quite late, but apparently Chris had insisted Tom talk to Ben before he left. There were a lot of things said back and forth and some angry remarks made from Ben’s side and a lot of reflection on what could have been done differently, but eventually they reconciled. Tom and Chris left around three, so I don’t think anyone got a lot of sleep that night. But everything’s alright now, so it was worth it. They’re even texting again.’

Ariel smiled, relieved that the two friends had made up. She sat up to see if Avery was still close by and saw her playing football with a couple of boys and girls on a grassy football pitch, a bit down the hill. The children were having a lot of fun and she was glad Avery was adapting so well to life in the UK. It looked like they were all finding their footing incredibly well.

‘How about you and Tom? Are you getting along a bit better?’ Sophie asked suddenly, while she also sat up and inquisitively looked at Ariel.

Ariel busied herself with putting the leftovers of their picnic back into the basket, thinking on how to best answer her friend's question, something that didn't escape Sophie’s attention.

‘Well, he tried to patch up most of the damage he did, but I’m still feeling a bit suspicious of our newfound equilibrium. I don't really trust it yet, you know. I understand what he’s been through and I feel a lot of sympathy for his circumstances. I’ve forgiven him for his callous words and I've told him that I did, but it doesn't mean I’m not still reeling from the awful things he said. I think I need some time to process everything.’

‘Has he texted you since your talk on Sunday?’

‘Yes, on Monday, after he landed on Mallorca. Some banter about him and the Avengers crashing my email and DM inbox. He was just on his way out of the airport and couldn't talk long. So…’

Sophie nodded, apparently happy with her answer.

‘So, you’re mostly good, then.’

‘I guess so.’ She shrugged. ‘He was very nice to me, last Sunday afternoon and evening, but apart from our conversation before we joined the Avengers cast at the pub, I didn't talk to him much that night. It was more of a Marvel discussion board and prank story boast between those five men, than a one-on-one, in depth conversation. All the texts he sent have been friendly, though.’

‘Well, that’s good, right? I know Tom, and he’s a very private man. He's very protective of his friends and family and of his life away from the camera’s, and if he’s opening up to you, that's a good sign. He’s a genuine, and over-all friendly, person when you get to know the real him; if his head’s not up his ass, that is.’ Sophie winked.

Ariel burst out laughing.

‘I noticed. He’s quite pleasant when he puts in an effort. Funny too, positively wicked sense of humor.’ She grinned, thinking of their text exchange.

Sophie sharply looked at her friend.

‘You noticed, hmmm?’ She said slyly. ‘Did you notice anything else about our dear Tommy boy? How tall and pretty he is, maybe? How well built? Hmmmm?’

‘Urgh, Soph, stop. No match-making, _please_.’ Ariel groaned as she hid her face in her hands. ‘I’m not looking for a guy right now. All that guy-stuff brings complications to my, at the moment, finally blissfully uncomplicated life...  Do you know how long I’ve longed for uncomplicated? It was years and years. And, oh boy, does that man bring complications to the table. No matter how attractive he is, he does come with a whole load of personal and emotional baggage. I’ve had years of baggage upon baggage. I don’t want any more of it. So, nope, not gonna happen. Get that out of your head. Now.’

Sophie sighed and looked out over the Heath, leaning back on her elbows.

‘Well, it was worth a shot. It’s just, I’m so happy with Ben and the baby, and I want everybody else to be happy too. Quite obnoxious really. But I just can’t help it. Must be the hormones or something.’

‘Oh, Soph, I am happy. I’m healthy, my kids are healthy, I’m financially independent, I have a lovely place to call my own, I’ve found good friends and I love living in London, and on top of all that, my career is about to take off like a flippin’ rocket. For the first time in my life, I’m on my own, and everything is falling into place, and I love it. I don’t want to complicate it any more than I have to. It’s taken me over two years to climb out of a pit of grief and sadness and I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished in that time. I don't need anything else in my life right now, and least of all a man with baggage.’

‘Oooh, harsh!’ Sophie snickered.

‘As I told Scrap Metal Man, I say it as it is.’ Ariel winked and stuck out her tongue.

‘Well, I can’t say I blame you for longing for peace and quiet. Enjoy it while you still can, because if you keep being associated with famous men, you won’t get much of it in the future.’

‘Men? We going plural?’

‘Why, yes. First, you were associated to Ben Cumberbatch, and now you've been seen with Tom Hiddleston, Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth and Sebastian Stan.’ Sophie ticked off her fingers one by one. ‘You don't think you can be seen with any of those men and not attract any attention, do you? Those pics you and the boys put up on Twitter have caused an uproar in the fandoms. Nobody really knows who you are. The fans, they’re a bit blindsided because you came out of nowhere and there’s a loooooot of speculation on which one of the single men in that group you’re supposedly dating. There’s even some rumours of you dating one of the married ones... There aren't any connections being made between those pics from the pub and the Buxom Brownie vids, yet, but that’s only a matter of time. You always have those pit-bull fans that won’t let go until they know everything.’

‘Hm, I tried to stay off my social media accounts for a few days, they’ve been flooded with follows, tweets, likes, retweets and the like. It was like someone opened the floodgates. I almost drowned in the email notifications before I managed to switch those off. Took me a whole morning to get everything sorted.’ Ariel sighed. ‘And most of the messages and tweets were nice and were about my work or my friendship with those guys, which, according to the positive commenters, is awesome; but there were also a lot of them that were quite disconcerting and close to escalating into scary territory.’

‘Ah, yes, never read the comments, you must.’ Sophie said, in a mocked up Yoda voice. 

‘Sorry, what?’ Ariel snorted as she raised her eyebrows in query.

‘It’s a saying. When you’re well known for one thing or another on the internet, just post your stuff and then try to keep away from the comments, because they can suck you into a deep pit of depression; not just about yourself, but also about humanity as a whole, because there are people on there that are very scary and depressing.’

‘That’s actually quite good advice. I’ll try to keep away from it from now on. Jesus, for every few positive replies on Twitter there was some troll or another hurling threats, insults or sexist slurs at me.’

‘Yup, in their eyes those men belong to them and can never be with someone else. They are public property, so to speak.’

‘Scary. Don’t those women and men have a life? I’m always much too busy to obsess about someone like that. I sometimes even have trouble to fit any social media stuff into my day. Mostly I text back immediately if I get a message on my phone, but the rest of it has to wait until I’m in bed at the end of the day, or until I check my accounts -if I’m not reading or working- while eating breakfast or lunch.’

‘You’re going to have a few weeks off now, though. Maybe you’ll be able to be stalky with the boys. Give them a bit of a fright.’ Sophie laughed and winked.   


Ariel snickered.

‘Marvellous idea. Oh, yes, speaking of Marvel. The guys invited me to dinner and a party on Saturday. Something about a wrap party for the re-shoots they're doing.’

‘Oh! You have to go! It will be so much fun!’ Sophie said. ‘Marvel always has the best parties!’

‘Yeah, I want to, but with the twins on holiday, I have no-one to watch Avery for me.'   


Sophie jumped on that, immediately.

‘I’ll do it. It will be fun; we’ll have a girls night and cook and bake cookies and watch a movie. She can even stay over if she wants, -and if you’re okay with it-, so you won’t have to worry about a curfew. Just go and have some fun, Ari. You deserve it! And it’s Marvel! Go network your arse off!’-

‘Are you sure? She can be a handful.’ Ariel said doubtfully.

‘Yes, of course, otherwise I wouldn't have offered. I like the girl and it gives me a chance to practice.’

‘Oh, yes, because you’ll be birthing a ten year old in two weeks. Uh-huh.’

‘Well, It feels like it, so I wouldn't be surprised.’ Sophie joked.

‘Okay then, if you’re not in labour by then, you can babysit Avery and I will go to the party on Saturday.’

Sophie smiled.

‘Yay! We’re going to have so much fun, Avery and I.’

Ariel looked at her friend sideways and saw her grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

‘I’m getting a bit worried from that expression on your face.’

‘No, no, nothing to be worried about. I’m just looking forward to baking cookies and building blanket forts. It’s been so long since I took care of a child. I think it was last when I was in my late teens, making some money from babysitting. I’m an only child, so I don't have any nieces and nephews to spoil and most of our friends and former friends are either childless or living on the other side of the world with their children.’

She understood that Sophie was referring to their thespian lifestyle. It didn't leave much time to visit with friends or family when you were flying to a new location every few weeks or even days. It was exciting, but it could also get a bit lonely at times.

Ariel nodded in understanding. She wasn’t really accustomed to such a way of living, but had a feeling that that was about to change for herself and her children, now that she had signed with Prosper PR and Landman Artists.  When she looked at her new friends’ lives and their travel habits, she supposed she could take that as a prelude for how her own life was going to change. 

At least her workplace was at home and she wasn't dependent on when or where a director had decided to film, like her friends. The traveling she was going to have to do was predominantly for comic cons, for promotional purposes and for meetings with potential clients.

She was grateful that her mother had agreed to watch Avery for the first week of the girl’s summer holidays, so Ariel could fly out to San Diego for Comic Con. It had been a bit of a logistical puzzle, but they had eventually arranged for Avery to fly from Heathrow to Amsterdam, accompanied by a chaperone, and then she would be picked up by Ariel’s mother at the airport. This left Ariel with her hands free for the Ant-Man premiere she would be attending and for SDCC. 

 

The women and Avery stayed at the Heath for another hour, until the small fluffy clouds that obscured the sun every now and then, grew out into dark grey blots and then took over the entire sky, making it seem like twilight was upon them, but that wasn't happening for a few more hours. Rain was going to be upon them. Soon.  
  
Hastily they folded the blanket and put it in the basket. While she hoisted the big basket up, Ariel called out for Avery to join them on their walk home.

Thankfully the girl had also seen the threatening skies and came over to them without much resistance, after she had said goodbye to her play mates.

They walked Sophie home and then the two of them made their own way home, the last hundred meters to the front door they were running from the rain, which suddenly started pelting down in big fat drops.

Laughing and giggling breathlessly they leant against the inside of the front door and slid down it to the floor. They were panting from exertion and sodden from the heavy rain shower.

Ariel patted her daughter on her soggy shorts.

‘Come on, darling, let’s put on some dry clothes and put away the picnic stuff. After that we can watch a movie.’

Avery sprung up.

‘Yay! Can I pick the movie? Can we have hot chocolate?’

Ariel laughed at the sudden resurgence of energy in her daughter. Nothing got her going like a promise of hot chocolate. She adored the drink.

‘Sure, just put on some pyjamas and socks and I’ll get the hot chocolate going.’

Without much more ado, Avery hopped up the stairs, more slowly followed by Ariel, who had left the picnic basket by the front door. She’d tackle cleaning up that one later.

Ariel quickly changed and hung the arm brace out to dry in her bathroom. It had become too wet to still wear now that she was changed into dry yoga trousers and an off the shoulder t-shirt. 

 

Half an hour later, they were curled up together on the comfy sofa in the sitting room, watching baby Toby being taken away by the goblins in the movie 'Labyrinth', while they sipped their hot chocolate, which was adorned with white and pink mini-marshmallows.

Next to her, on the armrest, Ariel’s phone pinged. She picked it up to shut it down, because, well, Labyrinth! -duh-, but as she pushed the shut-down button, she saw there was a text from Tom. 

She glanced to her side, where Avery sat, and saw that her daughter was entirely engrossed by he movie. Curious about what had him texting her, she opened the message.

 

**Tom H.**

16:32 Tom - _‘Sup?_

 

_‘Sup?!_ What the… With raised eyebrows Ariel looked at the one worded text.

 

16:32 Ariel - _Lost in translation?_

16:33 Tom - _What do you need translated? Ancient Greek? Latin? French? Spanish? A bit of Mandarin? I’m your man._

16:33 Ariel - _Hiddlestonian…_

16:33 Tom - _XD_

16:34 Tom - _Rephrasing: How are you? Doing anything interesting?_

16:35 Ariel - _Watching Labyrinth with a very cute and cuddly couch-mate._

 

It stayed silent for a while. After a minute or two she put her phone down to watch the movie again, where Sarah had just arrived at the labyrinth, only for the phone to ping again just after she let it go. 

 

16:38 Tom - _Oh, you’re on a date? I’ll leave you to it then. Enjoy the movie._

 

Huh? Where did he get that notion? And what was with the sudden cold shoulder? Or was she imagining that?

 

16:40 Ariel - _Only if you call vegetating on a sofa with ones daughter a date… We do have this lovely and creamy hot chocolate with marshmallows though. And we’re wearing our pyjamas. Very cosy and romantic now that I think about it! :D ;)_

16:42 Tom - _Those tiny white marshmallows?_

 

She shot a pic of the contents of her mug and attached it to the text she sent him.

 

16:42 Ariel - _And pink._ _Yup. :)_

16:43 Tom - _Awwww, you have no idea how much I crave those! And hot CHOCOLATE!!! But alas, my PT will murder me if I eat sweets while we’re still filming TheNight Manager. I need to keep looking ripped. No pudding for me… :(_ _I do love your idea of a romantic date, though. Comfy and snuggly. :)_

 

Why the hell was he talking about dates?! Ariel frowned at her phone.

 

16:44 Ariel - _The entire female population of planet Earth thanks you for your sacrifice.*sarcasm*_

 

Snickering she sent the text. Intentionally not reacting to his two sentences.

 

16:44 Tom - _Cheeky wench! ºoº_

16:44 Ariel - _Humble-bragger!_

16:45 Tom - _Touché, oh Queen of Snark. :P_

16:45 Ariel - _Don’t mess with the master._ _So, how’s things on your tropical island? Tropical?_

16:47 Tom - _Boringly so. There’s been no weather change for weeks now. Sun, hot, humid, sand, so much sand, everywhere, working long days. On a short break now. Have to wait for the right light to do some re-shoots._

16:48 Ariel - _Sun, tropical sea and beach, yes, sounds absolutely horrid. I don't know how anyone could work under those circumstances… Especially with all those long waits between takes. Och, the cocktails, the fresh fruit, the stretchers to plant your ass on, under those big parasols! However do you persist?!_

16:50 Tom - _I live from battle-of-wits to battle-of-wits with this tiny woman I met. She somehow always manages to pull me out of my slump with her refreshinglyirreverent attitude. :)_

 

Was he talking about her? What? Wait a second!

 

16:51 Ariel - _Hey! Watch who you call tiny, you.. you skyscraper!_

16:51 Tom - _Okay, Titania, what would you call yourself then?_

 

Oh! He was asking for it! She was getting into it now. She'd show him!

 

16:53 Ariel - V _ertically challenged, but I’ll take Daughter-of-Titans over that, any day. And Ihope you meant to refer to the Titania of Metamorphoses and you didn't just call me that dolt ofa Queen of Fairies from Mid-summer-night’s Dream, or I’m flying out toMallorca, right now, to kick your lanky ass! And don't think I can’t, cuz I totallycan! Aequitas!_

16:54 Tom - _I will call you Themis._

16:54 Ariel - _You better! Or I’ll send my daughter Dikē to let loose some justice on your ass!_

16:56 Tom - _Oh my, you really are classically trained aren't you?_

16:57 Ariel - _Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win._

16:58 Tom - _Ouch, parrying with the Bard? I think you’re forgetting a piece in thatsentence._

16:59 Ariel - _I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think._

16:59 Tom - _Socrates? Really? What’s next? Homer? Dante?_

17:00 Ariel - _Life is largely a matter of expectation. No one thinks of how much blood it costs._

17:00 Tom - _I bow down to my Queen, my Titan, my Themis, my Athena, my Sága._

17:01 Ariel - _Ha! I see what you did there! I’d never be consort to Odin! Ugh! Though Frigg is kinda cool :)_

17:01 Tom - _Fuck, she knows the Edda, too?_

17:02 Ariel - _You better bow a bit lower over there! I am Knowledge, I am Mother, I am Warrior, I am Magic, I am Eternal! In the end you’ll always kneel. You will worship the ground I walk on, and you will love it!_

17:02 Tom - _For you, always, Sigyn._

17:03 Ariel - _Tom, your Loki is showing again…_

17:04 Tom - _Ehehehe… Hardly. Believe me, you’d notice…_

 

 _Fuck_... Wide-eyed, Ariel stared at his last text. Where the hell was this going?!

 

17:04 Ariel - _Um, that wasn't meant as a challenge, Tom._

17:05 Tom - _I don’t believe you, my Sigyn._

17:06 Ariel - _……_

17:06 Tom - _I do believe my Goddess is speechless. Have I rendered thee speechless?_

17:07 Ariel - _No, no you didn’t. Really. Those were thinking dots. And I’m not_ your  _goddess! I'm A goddess._

17:07 Tom - _The lady doth protest too much, methinks._

17:08 Ariel - _You know what happened to Gertrude, right?_

17:09 Tom - _Ah yes, maybe not the most fortunate choice. But my Sigyn will forever shield me from poison, will she not?_

17:09 Ariel - _Don’t hold your breath, Trickster! I’m not some dumb wench, who is coerced into holding a bowl forall eternity. Too damn busy for that; things to do, places to be. And again, I’m_ ** _not_** _anyone’s Sigyn. I am my own woman._

17:11 Tom - _Of course you are; wouldn't want it any other way._ _Alas, I have to go, filming commences once again. These mortals are helplesswithout their sovereign. Do not think this battle of wits between us is over, myQueen. We have only just started._

17:12 Ariel - _Challenge accepted! Be prepared to bow to me, puny god!_

17:12 Tom - _I expected nothing less of the Daughter of Titans. Until we meet again._

17:13 Ariel - _Hear me ROOOOAAAAARRRR!_

17:15 Tom - _Oh, roar, you will… You will. >:-D_

 

Um... O-kay...

 

17:16 Ariel - _We’ll see about that, Hveðrungr. Bring that Ragnarok! I’ll be the last onestanding._

17:17 Tom - _I’m coming for you, Sigyn. We’ll see which one of us is the last one standing._

 

Wait… What?!

_  
_ 17:19 Ariel - _Wait, what?  
_

17:21 Ariel - _Tom?_

17:25 Ariel - _Hello?_

 

Oooopsss. Ariel stared at the phone screen in complete disbelief. Did she just start an intellectual nerd flirt with Tom Hiddleston?! And did it just get a bit hot in her living room? Fuuuuuck.

Next to her, Avery was still staring at the television with abandon; Labyrinth was one of her favourite films. 

Looking back down at her phone, Ariel tried to figure out how she lost control like that so fast. Usually she was much more levelheaded. Apparently her brain wasn’t in self-preservation mode when Tom was thrown into the mix.

‘Well, that escalated quickly.’ She mumbled to herself.

Avery looked up at her mum, eyes glazed over from being sucked into the story of the Goblin King and Sarah.

‘What?’ She asked a bit absently.

‘Nothing, honey. Just a thought in my head that escaped my mouth.’ Ariel winked at her daughter.

‘Oh.’ Avery turned her attention back to the movie.

How the hell did two people go from mutual dislike, to this, whatever this was, within the span of a week?!?

Ariel bit her lip. Had there been this underlying tension from the beginning? She tried to recall, but came up blank. 

Shit, life just kept throwing her curve-balls. Just when she thought she was in calmer waters, something happened to stir up a bit of chaos in her life again. While she read over the whole conversation again, her breathing picked up when she got to the end. Oh god, that was… Oh god… Not good. Not good at all. She needed a cold shower. ASAP.

Or just watch the movie with her daughter and put thoughts of a tall, handsome man out of her head. Yes, she could do that. Right?

Avery cuddled against her and Ariel put an arm around her.

‘You okay, mum?’ Avery asked.

“Yeah, Ave, I am. Let’s just watch the movie.’ She smiled down at the girl.

Avery nodded and Ariel set her mind to watching Labyrinth. Quelling any and all thoughts of a certain thespian until a later date.


	23. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just some girl talk texting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that escalated, fast... O.O
> 
> Watch the sand, it gets into the cracks...

**Chapter 22**

 

Thursday, 4 June 2015

**Sophie H.**

11:31 Sophie - _Hey there ms Dekker! Sophie’s Sitting Service here, texting to let you know everything for Saturday night is set. Have you got an outfit yet? Marvel things are usually quite casual, but looking the part of successful artist isalways important :) Did you get home dry yesterday? It was quite thedownpour, wasn't it?_

11:32 Ariel - _Hi Soph. Yup, got an outfit, don't worry, I won’t go in ripped jeans and a t-shirt. ;)  And nope, we didn't make it in time, we were soaked to the skin. It wasn't a downpour, it was more like a tsunami! Did snuggle up in pj’s on the sofa and drank hot chocolate, though :) Watched a bit of Labyrinth._

11:33 Sophie - _Nice! :D_

11:34 Ariel - _Soph? I need to tell you something…_

11:35 Sophie - _Uh-oh. Sounds ominous… O.O_

11:36 Ariel - _I might or might not have broken my no-boys-are-coming-into-my-life-vows,within hours of preaching about them to you… :(_

11:36 Sophie - _Spill!_

11:37 Ariel - _Look what I did… O.O_

 

She attached the screenshots she took from her conversation with Tom. 

It stayed silent from Sophie’s side for quite a while.

 

11:41 Ariel - _Soph?_

 

**Ben C.**

11:41 Ben - _Ariel? Why is my wife laughing like a maniac while hyperventilating?!?_

 

Oh shit…

 

11:42 Ariel - _She is?_

11:42 Ben - _Yes, but she won’t say why. And she's locked her phone. What’s going on?_

 

Well, thank pancake for small miracles…

 

11:43 Ariel - _Women’s issues. Nothing to break your pretty little head over._

11:44 Ben - _Excuse me? When I’m awoken from a lovely slumber because my wife_ _-who is laying next to me, by the way, texting you- starts to cackle and hack like a hyena on steroids, it becomes my issue too!_

11:44 Ariel - _Does not._

11:45 Ben - _Does too!_

11:46 Ben - _Oh, great, she just locked herself in the en-suite…_

11:46 Ariel - _Serves you right, being such a nosy wanna-know-it-all!_

11:47 Ben - _But I need to pee. :(_

11:48 Ariel - _OMG! TMI! TMI! Use the family bathroom in the hallway and stop botheringme with your bodily functions!!_

11:49 Ben - _You know how the pressure is so great you don't know if you’ll make it in time?I’m not gonna make it to the hallway!!! It’s all your fault if I ruin the carpets!!!_

11:49 Ariel - _Lalalalalalalalalalaalalalala ICANTHEARYOU Lalalalalalalalalalala_

 

**Sophie H.**

11:50 Ariel - _OMG! Your husband is way too forward! He just told me he was going to piss himself. Something about high pressure and carpets…_

11:51 Sophie - _He’s a drama queen. Comes with the territory. Actors! *sigh*_

11:51 Ariel - _Hm, if you say so… O.o_

11:53 Sophie - _I’m safely ensconced in the bathroom. He can clean up his own mess._

11:53 Ariel - _Good for you :P_

11:55 Sophie - _But seriously, that whole texting thing that happened? OMG! HOT! ºoº_ _What the heck happened between: ‘Ew, boys have cooties, I don’t want to have **anything** to do with them’; and the roaring remark?!? -Still laughing by theway- XD_

11:57 Ariel - _Gee, thanks for the supportive laughing-at-your-friend-in-her-time-of-need-and-doing-stupid-stuff-texting-a-hot-guy service._ _And I don't know what happened… I got carried away. He was goading meand I couldn't let it go. Gave as good as I got and then some, and then he wassuddenly all, “I’m coming for you Sigyn" and then nothing! NO texts, nothing.He’s gone into radio silence mode. What am I doing, Soph? What is happening? Shitshitshitshit…_

11:59 Sophie - _I know Tom, Ari. I think you riled him just as much as he did you and heprobably decided to let it cool down a bit. You had quite a rough few years and he’s still in a rough spot in his life. Maybe he decided to take a small step back. Or maybe he’s been very busy with filming and hasn't been able to text you back yet. It happens. Believe me, I know. Again: Actors! *sigh*_

11:59 Sophie - _Or he’s plotting on a bout of retaliation for your insolence and he’s lettingyou sweat a bit. Mwhahahaha 3:-)_

12:00 Ariel - _NOT helping, Soph… -_-_

12:00 Sophie - _Well, you could always just screw his brains out, get it out of your system, and move on…_

12:01 Ariel - _What?!? How the fuck did we get from naughty texts to here?!? You. are. nuts._

12:01 Sophie - _You know, I saw him naked once... :P_

12:02 Ariel - _OMG you are as bad as your husband!!! ºoº_

12:02 Sophie - _If I hadn't had Ben, hummenahummena-oomph… *eyebrowwiggle*_ _Ya know what I’m sayin’? :P_

12:03 Ariel - _Stahp!!!_

12:03 Sophie - _You know that saying? About, you know... men?_

12:03 Ariel - _NO! Soph, don’t say it! pls dnt go there._

12:04 Sophie - _Hung like a…_

12:04 Ariel - _You went there! I can't believe you just went there! OMG! What is wrong with you people?!?_

12:06 Sophie - _Oh. My. God. No walking normally after having a piece of that!_ _And ripped! My god, you’d think he’s just a stringy bean pole with thoselong limbs, but wow, his clothed appearance is so deceptive. Freakingeight pack. Broad shoulders and chest. Pecs. And that V on the hips… *fansherself* Long live the men without prudishness! Hallelujah!_

 

Ariel looked at her phone, dumbfounded, and resisted the urge to throw it at the wall in frustration -it might have been of the adult sort, but she wasn't admitting to anything-. She was starting to seriously rethink her friendship with Sophie -not really-. The woman had appeared so well-balanced and sound, but she turned out to be positively wicked… Evil Incarnate!

 

12:08 Ariel - _How am I ever going to be able to look at him without those words screamingin my brain?!?  In. Neon. Letters! OMG! *headdesk*_

12:09 Sophie - _How are you going to ever pry your eyes away from his crotch area whenyou see him again, you mean? Hahahahaahaaa, Welcome to the club! Took me a few months after the naked incident, and I am in a relationship.With my very own well hung man. Hahaahahahahahahahaaaa!!!_

 

Another thing she didn't need to know, burnt onto her retinas. Fuck.

 

12:10 Ariel - _Jesus, Fuck. You. are. wicked. :(  You should’ve come with a warning label… And I don’twant to know anything about Ben and his assets, Soph… It’s embarrassing. :-/_

12:11 Sophie - _Warning, wickedness packaged in deceptively honourable casing. Sorryabout the Ben thing ;P_

12:11 Ariel - _Too little, too late… O_O I’m scarred for life…_

12:12 Sophie - _Hahaha, you can check out, but you can never leave! ;)_ _Seriously though, I think you’ll be alright. Just go with the flow and listen toyour gut. And don't let Tom walk all over you. :)_

12:13 Ariel - _Not a chance. I’m not one to be walked over. I take you down if you try._

12:13 Sophie - _I noticed that about you._

12:14 Ariel - _I used to be different. Let anyone walk over me, but somehow my psyche justwon’t take any shit from people anymore… Ever since Brian died it’s like I’vebeen waking up from a long slumber… It’s weird…_

12:16 Sophie - _Not that weird. Life has thrown everything fucked up at you it could musterand you came out the other side, swinging your spiked baseball bat, victoriously. No wonder you’re not takinganyone’s shit anymore. You were reforged into something stronger thanyou were before. Nothing wrong with that._

12:17 Ariel - _I guess._

12:19 Sophie - _No guess about it, I know it. :)_

12:19 Ariel - _Okay :)_

12:21 Sophie - _Now, if you’ll excuse me, all this talk of men and their appendages hasgotten me horny beyond compare -stupid hormones-, I’m gonna go and  ravage my husband. I’ll see you and Avery on Saturday, around five?_

12:22 Ariel - _OMG! TMI!!! I don’t want to know that! º-º_ _Yeah, see you Saturday. Don't get pregnant!_

12:23 Sophie - _Sorry, not sorry!... Mwahahaha, too late! XD_


	24. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who knew that getting into a party would be so difficult...

**Chapter 23**

 

Saturday evening at a quarter past six, Ariel found herself walking past the Roundhouse on Haverstock Hill, towards Shaka Zulu Restaurant and Club. It was situated at Stables Market in Camden, only a fifteen minute walk from Sophie’s house. Ariel had dropped off a very excited Avery, and her overnight bag, at Sophie’s at five o’clock, and her makeup and hair had been done beautifully, by Sophie, before Ariel left Avery and Sophie to their baking, and headed for the party.  She had already changed into her ‘party’ clothes before going over to Sophie’s, so she was all set to go when her makeup and hair artist was done at exactly six o’clock. 

Sophie had looked her up and down and had then nodded approvingly.

‘You’re gonna knock em out of the park in that outfit. Those Marvel people won’t know what hit them.’ She grinned.

Ariel nervously smoothed a few imaginary wrinkles out of her dove-grey, silk Vivienne Westwood dress. It had a deep, folded cowl neckline that wrapped around the outer tips of her shoulders, which doubled as wide shoulder straps. It was sleeveless, and fitted like a glove on her hourglass shape; the internal boned corset cinching in her waist a bit and pushing up her breasts. The skirt was draped in elegant folds around her hips, had a wrap-dress split in the front that ended a few inches above her knees and had a slightly longer train, which made the hem, at the back, end just at the top of her calves. 

The dress had a certain elegance and playfulness to it that had immediately spoken to her when she saw it online.  She had bought it off the internet when she had only just won the lottery. It was the one luxury she had permitted herself, to celebrate her win. One night she’d been surfing the net and had ended up at a site with second hand Vivienne Westwood dresses and there it was. Her dress. 

Not having had the chance to wear it before today, she hadn't seen it on with her hair and makeup done. Now that she was all dolled up, she hardly recognised herself.  Sophie had kept the punky edge, that was Ariel’s style, in the hairstyle she wrought. She had pulled the hair up at the sides, in sections, and knotted it on the top of her head, from front to back, leaving some hair ends loose so they poked outward; giving her a messy, punky hairstyle to contrast with the elegance of the dress and the smooth sides of her head.

Ariel thought her makeup was gorgeous. Sophie had applied warm peach and copper smokey eyeshadow with winged black eyeliner to her eyelids, and had added very natural looking, fake eyelashes to her lash-line, and finished the eye makeup off with a few layers of black mascara; making her green eyes pop. The rest of her face was covered with a very light foundation and powder -that gave her an ivory glow- and finished off with just the slightest bit of contouring and blusher. Her lips were coloured with only a hint of pink blush lipgloss. 

While she was working on Ariel’s face with the foundation, Sophie had also covered up the fading bruises on her clavicle and shoulder. They had gone yellow and green by now and were easily masked with a bit of makeup. The handprint on Ariel’s arm had all but faded, so that hadn't needed any attention. 

Ariel was very happy that she didn't need her arm brace anymore. She’d visited the hospital again, yesterday, and had gotten the green light for using her right arm again, although she still needed to be careful. The doctors  were amazed that she was healing so well, and so fast. She was down to one to two halves of the painkillers, a day. That meant she still had to be careful with alcohol, but she wasn't all drugged up anymore and it showed in her increased energy levels. 

When she neared the venue, she pulled straight the faux leather jacket and light grey summer scarf she was wearing over the dress, to protect her against the cold weather. It had gone from summer to autumn in just a couple of hours, last Wednesday afternoon, and it had stayed that way into the weekend. 

 

Within seconds she turned the corner to Camden’s Stables Market, her vintage, black leather, Victorian lace-up booties clicking on the cobblestones. She was glad she had chosen to go with a mid-level heel of about two and a half inches. It gave her a bit of height, but was still manageable when walking and dancing. And dancing was something which she was looking forward to very much, it had been ages since she’d been out for a night of dancing and fun. If she was completely honest with herself, she had to admit that it had been well over three years, before Brian had become too poorly to leave the house anymore. Sighing, she forced herself to put that awful time out of her head and strengthened her resolve to have lots of fun tonight.

As she walked up to the entrance to Shaka Zulu she saw a throng of people waiting to be admitted. Most were young women, in their twenties and early thirties, all dolled up for a night out, wearing tight dresses or trousers and tops, high heeled shoes, hair immaculately styled and faces heavily makeup-ed. 

‘I’m sorry ladies, but we have a closed party tonight. There will be no dining or clubbing if you’re not on the guest list.’ She heard a bouncer say loudly, as he was trying to be heard over the chattering voices. 

One of the women in the front tried to persuade him.

‘But I know Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr.’ She exclaimed. ‘I just saw them go in, can’t you call them?’

‘Sorry, ma’am, if you don’t have an invite, you’re not allowed in.’

Ariel stopped at the back of the line, which was cordoned off with ropes, flanked by fierce looking, mountainous bouncers.

‘Excuse me.’ She said to the woman in front of her.

‘What?!’ The woman turned to her with a sneer on her face, blue eyes blazing; she appeared to be in her late twenties. Well, someone was irritated...

A bit taken aback by her reply, Ariel raised her eyebrows and took a small step back. Even though Ariel was wearing heels, the woman still had at least four inches on her and she looked down her nose at Ariel.

‘May I please pass, so I can get inside?’ She asked, politely.

The woman gave her the up-and-down and laughed, mockingly.

‘You really think they’re gonna let _you_ in, when none of us are allowed? I mean, look at us.’ She gestured at the tall and rail thin, booby girls in her group, all scantily dressed, who had turned around at the sound of their friend’s voice. ‘And then look at you. You’re like a fat midget. You have _no_ chance of getting in there.’  The other girls snickered and started to whisper behind their hands and then some of them laughed out loud while looking at Ariel. ‘Besides, you wouldn't know how to handle the men inside that club. They don’t need no innocent, ugly little virgins. Go home to your mummy, you fat little piggy. Hell will freeze over before they let in the likes of you.’ Cackling was heard from her friends and the woman grinned at Ariel triumphantly, her pretty face transformed into a hard and ugly expression.

At first Ariel was flabbergasted. How could anyone that young and beautiful be that spiteful? She shook her head in disbelief and huffed as she took in the other women in the group, who were, once again, excitedly chatting with each other, now that Ariel had been dismissed by their friend. This was just a ridiculous situation.

Suddenly she saw the humour in her predicament and started to laugh. The other woman had thought she was a baby sheep among wolves. How wrong she was.

‘You know,' She said, pulling the attention of the group to herself again. 'if you don't work on quelling that ugliness inside you, one day, when you get older, it will spill out and your exterior will reflect the interior.’ She smiled sweetly at the girl. Because that was what she was, a girl who didn't know any better than that she was at the top of the food chain. 

‘Bitch!’ The girl hissed, her face flushing with rage.

‘Yeah, yeah, tell me something I don't know.’ She fluttered her hands in the air dismissively. ‘Now, if you will excuse me, I’m gonna go make Hell freeze over. People are gonna love me there.’

She turned away from the seething girl and walked to the nearest bouncer.

‘Excuse me, sir?’ She started politely.

‘Sorry ma’am, you will have to stand in line if you want a chance of being let in.’

‘So I’ve heard, but I’m on the guest list and the girls in the line won’t let me through. Can you help me?’ She asked, smiling politely.

‘You have no idea how many times I’ve heard that excuse tonight, girlie. Get back in line, or leave.’

‘Fine. I’ll just text Bob and Chris, then.’

‘You do that.’ He looked like he didn't believe a word she'd just said. Ah, well, his loss.

Ariel fished out her phone from her clutch and opened the message screen. From the corner of her eye she saw the girl she'd just talked to, make a rude gesture towards her, and then the whole group started to cackle like a bunch of hyena’s. _Yeah, that's real pretty_ , she thought to herself, turning her back to them.

 

**Tin Man, Capsicle, Frosty, Hammertime** _Groupchat_

18:25 Ariel - _Guys, help, I’m in a bit of pickle. I’m standing outside the venue and they don’tbelieve I’m with you and I’m not even getting through to the front of the line._

18:25 RDJ - _Avengers, Assemble! We are needed once more!_

18:25 Chris E. - _Where are you?_

18:26 Ariel - _Outside, to the left of the line -your right-, being eyeballed by a very big andscary bouncer. Halp._

18:27 Seb - _On our way._

 

She put away her phone and crossed her arms over her chest, glaring back at the bouncer for a moment and then turning to the group of still waiting women at the back of the line.

‘It’s about to start snowing.’ She said with a wink, referring to her remark on hell freezing over.

A few of the women were dense enough to glance up at the sky and Ariel snickered. 

From the front of the line screams suddenly erupted and news traveled down the line fast. Women started calling out for attention from the four tall, broad shouldered men who suddenly emerged from the belly of the nightclub. The bouncers along the line had linked arms to keep the women corralled. It was working, more or less. Ariel had no idea for how much longer, though. The girls looked ravenous. It was quite scary to behold.

None of the four men really acknowledged the group of ‘fans’ with anything more than a wave and a smile in the general direction of the throng.

She saw Bob look around before he spotted her. She was still being obstructed by the bouncer and she waved at him, smiling when the small group arrived to pick her up.

‘Pixie! Darling! how have you been?’ Bob called out, stepping around the bouncer to give her in a hug.

‘Hi, Bubble Bob! I’m good. I made it snow in Hell today.’ She said loud enough for a certain female to hear her, smiling up at him, eyes shining with humour.

‘What a feat! I’m so proud!’ He exclaimed, also loudly, playing along and giving her a loud smacking kiss on the cheek.

Bob looked to the side without turning his head.

‘Friends of yours?’ He said quietly, indicating the group of women with a small nod in their direction. They had been calling out to the actors and waving to get their attention.

‘Not really. They’re more like the sharks in the kiddie-pool. Better steer clear of them.’

Bob nodded, the corners of his mouth quirking up slightly.

‘Understood.’

‘Enough of your blethering, Downey! Step aside.’ Evans said. He shoved playfully at Bob and Ariel was suddenly enveloped in a pair of big strong arms. 'Hey there, hon.' He said. Evans really did give great hugs. She sighed happily.

‘Whoah there, Cap, don’t crush her, leave some for me.’ Seb joked and she was transferred from one broad shouldered chap to the next.

Hemsworth was standing at a small distance, watching the antics of the two men vying for Ariel’s attention; hands in the pockets of his dress pants, a wide smile on his face.

When she was finally able to extract herself from the two single men, who were a bit too eager for her liking, she turned to him and gave him a quick hug, too. He smiled down at her with a twinkle in his eyes.

‘Lovely to see you again, Ariel. My wife is waiting for us inside and is dying to meet her long lost sister. And may I say that you look stunning.’   


‘Why, thank you, dear sir.’ Ariel smiled widely at him. ‘You guys also clean up very well. You all look very handsome.’ 

All four men were dressed in dark suits -ranging from blue to grey to charcoal- with crisp white shirts underneath. None of them were wearing a tie or bow-tie though and the shirts’ top buttons were left open. So she reckoned the party had a more smart casual dress code than a black-tie one.

‘Let’s go inside, before we’re mobbed.’ Evans said as he eyed the unruly mob of ‘fans’.

Ariel laughed and gestured to the entrance of the nightclub.

‘Lead the way boys.’

As she and Bob followed the other three men inside, Ariel couldn't help herself and she looked back at the bitchy girl, who was now the one looking flabbergasted. Ariel smiled sweetly at her and gave her a mocking finger-wave. She knew it was a petty thing to do, but it just felt so good.

Next to her Bob snickered, having seen the entire exchange.

‘That’s my girl. Never get mad, always get even.’ He grinned proudly at her before he gestured for her to step onto the escalator that would take them down into the bowels of the restaurant and nightclub.


	25. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iron... Cupid?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having so much fun! :D

**Chapter 24**

 

The Shaka Zulu Club was fantastic! That was Ariel’s verdict after being inside the venue for only five minutes. It was exuberantly decorated in an African theme. Lots of browns, yellows, oranges and copper. The lighting was superb.  As she was waiting for her turn to hang up her coat in the wardrobe, she looked around appreciatively. The interior design was absolutely lovely.

Bob was waiting with her to escort her back to his table. Hemsworth, Evans and Seb had already veered off that way. It looked like they were all seated together.

It was pretty busy in the restaurant. The party was for all of the Marvel cast and crew and there were a lot of people who had already turned up. Some of the men and women at the tables near Bob and Ariel were in the final stages of their dinner. 

‘Am I late?’ Ariel asked, unsure. ‘I thought you said six thirty.’

‘That I did. We were wrapping up a few things this afternoon and arrived only ten minutes before you did. So, no, you’re not late. It’s just that some of the **crew already started without us**.’ Bob said the last words loud enough for some of the crew to hear, winked at her and threw a mock glare at one of the tables. The people there toasted him with their glasses of beer and wine and laughed; then continued their conversations.

Ariel chuckled and unzipped her jacket. As she took it off and unwrapped the scarf from her neck to hand both pieces of clothing to the coat-lady, she thought she heard Bob say something. When she turned to him his eyes flew up to hers from where they were trailing over her dress clad figure and he cleared his throat, looking a bit guilty. 

‘What was that?’ She asked, raising an eyebrow. Had he just been checking her out? What the… 

‘No, no, nothing, darling Pixie. Let’s just get to our table and have some dinner, shall we?’ He rubbed his hands together and an impish grin appeared around his lips.

Ariel narrowed her eyes at him and didn't move.

‘What’s going on, Bubble Bob?’ 

He raised his eyebrows.

‘What? Nothing is going on, Pixie. Why are you frowning? Put that frown upside down. You’re being a bit paranoid tonight. Are you sure everything is okay? You look a bit flushed…’

Oooh, that manipulative little shit, turning it around on her like that. Ariel was sure he was up to something. She could have sworn he’d mumbled something like: ‘ _Fuckin’ hell, lucky bastard_.’… Or another phrase of the sort, sounding the same.

She hummed at him sceptically, deciding to let it go for now and pinning him with a pointed look. She gestured for him to lead the way. As she followed him through the restaurant to a round table, surrounded by a half round sofa and a few chairs, she saw that the other three men were already seated. Next to Hemsworth sat a petite woman with long blonde hair, hanging loose around her shoulders. Ariel assumed this was Elsa, Chris’ wife. She was beautiful.

‘Oh, wow.’ She heard Evans softly say under his breath, and turned her head to see him stare at her. 

She looked behind her to check if she really was the one he was gazing at.

‘What are you looking at?’ She asked, confused.

‘Nothing?’ Chris’ voice rose at the end of the word, as if he wasn't sure what the right answer was and then had automatically turned it into a question.

Seb snorted into his glass and almost choked on the sip of beer he was taking. Gasping for air, he tried to get all of the burning liquid out of his lungs, coughing loudly.

‘Lovel… Lovely dress you have… on, Arie… Ariel…’ He said between coughs.

Ariel looked down on the piece of clothing hugging her curves.

‘Why, thank you, Sebastian. It’s from Vivienne Westwood. I’ve always loved her designs and when I was able to afford something of hers, it was the first thing I bought.’

Evans looked up at her, surprised.

‘You can afford Vivienne Westwood Couture and not bat an eyelash at the price?’

‘Well, eyelashes were batted, no doubt about it, also, a lot of gulps of air were taken, but I loved it so much, I just couldn't let it slip away. So I bought it.’

He leaned forward, elbows on the table, face inquisitive.

‘I know this must come over as unbelievably rude, but as we are all friends here, and you’re the new one in the group, I just have to ask. How wealthy are you, exactly? I’m just asking, so we can be absolutely sure you don't hang out with us because we’re all rich. Very sorry about the bluntness, but in our world, you can never be too careful. No offence.’

Ariel laughed and shook her head. She could see how they'd want to know that she wasn't a golddigger.

‘None taken.’ She smiled at him and did a quick conversion calculation in her head, wrinkling up her face a bit in thought. ‘Um, I think in US dollars it’s a bit north of thirty.’

‘Million?’ Seb croaked. He looked pale suddenly.

Ariel nodded, shrugging apologetically.

‘So, what’s yours?’ She asked, bluntly. Tit for tat and all that. Bob was first to answer.

‘Two forty… I think. Or was that last year?’ Bob rubbed his chin in thought. 

‘Forty.’ Evans said.

‘Four.’ Seb cleared his throat, rubbing his neck. 

‘Sixty.’ Hemsworth was elbowed in the ribs by his wife. ‘-five… Sixty-five.’ He rectified. 

The petite woman next to him got up from her seat on the sofa and extended her hand to Ariel. She was wearing a lovely strapless dress in a dark orange colour, adorned with sequinned flowers, with a tight bodice and short flared skirt.

‘Hi, I am the five million in that co-op. If we have to wait for those toddlers and their penis-measuring-pissing-contest to be over, we’ll never be introduced. I’m Elsa Pataky. Very nice to meet the woman who outsmarted Bob over there.’ She said with a Spanish accent as she nodded in the man's general direction.

Ariel grinned at the other woman and shook her hand.

‘Hi Elsa, I’m Ariel Dekker. Lovely to meet you. I like your movies, you kick ass.’

‘Thank you, Ariel. I’ve seen some of your work too, in the past week, I really like it. I was wondering if you are interested in making portraits of my children? I want a few non-traditional pieces and have a couple of ideas I want to run by you.’

Wow, this woman was direct and to the point. Ariel liked that. 

‘Um, wow, that would be an honour. Just contact me in the coming weeks and I’m sure we’ll work something out.’

Elsa nodded, clearly very pleased with Ariel’s answer.

‘That is good. Chris has your number, yes? I will call you.’

‘Yes, he has my number… Regrettably…’ Ariel bit her lip... Oops, she wasn't really planning on letting that slip.

Elsa raised an elegantly slanted eyebrow at Ariel, her sharp blue-green eyes trailing to the side to gaze at her husband. She leaned forward to Ariel, conspiringly. 

‘Regrettably? Dios mío! What did he do now?’

Ariel folded her arms in front of her chest and looked at Chris, a bit vexed.

‘Well, apparently your husband is mega jealous of Loki having his own portrait in Stan Lee’s offices while Thor doesn't have one, anywhere. He has been pestering me all week by sending me a huge amount of Thor pictures, trying to bully me into making a Thor portrait of the same ‘Awesome Colours and Biiiiig Size’,’ She imitated his Aussie accent. ‘as Loki’s is. He clogged up my whole freaking message app and crashed my phone because it couldn't handle all the high res pics.’

Elsa sucked in her breath through her teeth as she frowned at Chris, who looked quite alarmed about being the sole recipient of the attention from both of the pint-sized women.

‘That _is_ very fucking annoying of my husband. I’ll _talk_ to him about his transgressions and let you know how he will make it up to you.’

‘Agreed.’ Ariel said with a smile.

The two women looked at each other with similar malicious expressions on their faces.

‘Fuck.’ Hemsworth said as he rubbed his hands over his face. Clearly, he  was suddenly not as sure as he was before, that introducing the two women would be a great idea. It started to look like a great big fucking disaster from where he was standing. 

Bob laughed out loud at the expression on Chris’ face; apparently, from his viewpoint, it was hilarious. Ariel snickered at seeing his amusement.

Elsa put her arm around Ariel’s shoulders and led her to the sofa, pushing her down before taking the seat next to Ariel, herself.

‘Let’s order us something to eat.’ She said and handed Ariel a menu to study. 

After they had all ordered -There was a lot of meat on the menu, but they also had a few delicious looking vegetarian dishes, to Ariel’s relief- Elsa turned to Ariel again and smiled. 

’Chris tells me you have twin boys, and a little girl, just like us. But they are already big. Tell me, how did you find raising twin boys different from raising your girl? Did the boys do many things together or were they more adamant to do things apart from each other?’

Ariel recognised the other woman’s need for hands on experience advice from someone who had already ran the twin gauntlet and indulged wholeheartedly in answering any and all questions the new mother-of-twins had.

While she was talking to the delightfully spirited woman, their entrees arrived. Ariel had chosen the Vegetable Antipasto and it was delicious. She managed to finish it in record time, in spite of all the talking she did.

When the main course arrived, she accepted one small glass of Krug Grande Vintage champagne to accompany the Spiced Pumpkin Ravioli she had chosen. It left her pleasantly buzzed and didn't react with the half painkiller she had taken that morning, which was probably already long gone from her system.

After the clock had struck nine, the lights in the restaurant were visibly dimmed and the music slowly evolved from soft drums and dulcet tones to a more modern, contemporary dance beat. 

Within ten minutes, the restaurant’s team had -on both levels of the venue- repositioned all tables and chairs to line the walls and opened up several spaces for dancing and mingling. It looked like the upper level was going to be used as more of a lounge with a relaxed atmosphere, while the lower level was arranged to be a darker nightclub with the latest pop and dance music being played, with accompanying light effects.

‘Ooh, I want to dance.’ Elsa happily exclaimed. ‘Anyone want to go dancing?’ She looked at Ariel and raised a brow.

Ariel nodded enthusiastically and shoved her clutch into Bob’s hands.

‘Yes! Let’s go!’ she laughed.

Before any of the men could react, the two petite women had slid out from between the table and sofa and were gone; Elsa holding Ariel’s hand, pulling her down the escalator and into the dancing party crowd on the lower level. 

‘Well, looks like we are the bag holders for tonight, Hemsworth.’ Bob said, snickering.

Chris sighed and nodded.

‘Never try to keep my wife from a dance floor, it won’t be pretty if you even attempt to stop her.’

Evans burst out laughing.

‘You guys are so whipped.’ He snickered and turned to his friend. ‘Come on Seb, let’s see if we can dazzle anyone with our smooth moves.’ He joked. 

Both men stood up, bid their temporary farewells to the two married men and made their way down the escalator.

 

While the men upstairs were still exchanging quips, Ariel and Elsa had found their way onto the dance floor and were moving their bodies to the beat. 

As they both were of the same height and build -Ariel had a bit more meat on her bones than Elsa, though- it was easy to synchronise their movements and they had already vogued to Madonna’s ‘Vogue’ and did a decently elegant hip hop grind to Ginuwine’s ‘Pony’, when Pitbull’s ‘Fun’ began to play. Elsa, who had discovered that her dance partner was sufficiently trained in the art of dancing, looked at Ariel with a twinkle in her eyes.

‘Do you know how to Jive?’ She asked, hopefully.

Ariel nodded, grinning, and held out her hand for Elsa to take and just like that they were off; alternating in leading the other over the dance floor, in an improvised Jive dance, taking up the entire floor; which was partly vacated by the other partygoers, to give the women some room to move.

By the end of the song the whole lower club was a mass of roaring and whistling and clapping people, rewarding the two out of breath but widely grinning women with a well-deserved applause.

‘Dios mío! That was exhilarating!’ Elsa shouted above the loud music to Ariel, when they left the dance floor to get themselves something to drink. Around them people started to move to the beat again. ’Do you have professional dance training?’

Ariel shook her head as they both took a seat at the bar.

‘No, it was a hobby my late husband and I shared. We danced just for fun and sometimes participated in a few amateur competitions. Mostly ballroom and salsa; although I did take a few hip hop and street dance classes when he was too sick to dance anymore. I’ve been dormant for the past two years, but I’ve been keeping up with stretching and watching my suppleness.’

Elsa threw her head back and laughed exuberantly. She felt like she had really found a long lost sister.

‘Girl, we’re gonna have soooo much fun tonight!’ 

Unknown to them, on the floor above, Hemsworth and Bob had been attracted to the whistles and screams that were elicited from the crowd, courtesy of the dancing women, and they had watched the performance from the balustrade that gave them an unobstructed view of the dance floor below.

Bob had his phone out within the first two seconds of seeing who the dancers were and had recorded a good bit of the performance.

‘Oh, this is so going up on Instagram tomorrow! Would you just look at them. Two tiny energiser bunnies on steroids, jiving the night away.’ He giggled when they had sat back down at their booth and reviewed the video. ‘Do you think they’d be interested in appearing in one of the Marvel movies, as sisters? I can see it already! I’d be so awesome!’  
  
Hemsworth shrugged.

‘Dunno mate, Ariel isn't an actress and hasn't shown any interest in pursuing such a career path. I think she’s happy just making her art. Painting and drawing and all that.’

‘Yes, yes, true, but we could always change her mind… Right?’ Bob looked contemplative for a moment and then seemed to jump to another train of thought.

‘But first, let’s send a certain someone a text.’ He started typing on his phone and sent a text.

‘Why just a text? Why not the video?’

‘Are you nuts? And let him see what she looks like before he has the chance to see her in the flesh? Before  _I_  have the chance to see his jaw hitting the floor and behold how mr charming will be reduced to a bumbling mess when he sees her tonight. I think not.’

Hemsworth grumbled.

‘I still think this is a bad idea, Bob. Playing matchmaker.’

Bob shrugged.

‘I think it’s a Marvellous idea. Get it? Marvellous?’ He wiggled his eyebrows at an exasperated Chris. ‘They’re both adults. They have been for a long time. I think it will be fine.’

Snickering he looked at what he’d sent.

21:25 RDJ - _She dances!!!_

‘This is going to be so much fun!’ He said gleefully.

Chris sighed and shook his head. Bob was just incorrigible.


	26. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is it hot in here? Oomph...
> 
> Oh, yeah, and some of RDJ's cupid shenanigans...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What am I doing? O.o

**Chapter 25**

 

After Ariel and Elsa had finished their soft drinks at the bar, they’d thrown themselves back into the fray on the dance floor, where Sebastian and Evans had joined them, dancing with the two women enthusiastically. Seb had even persuaded Ariel to dance a tame Lindy Hop with him, when the tunes were right. 

Ariel hadn't had this much fun in a long time and when Chris turned up with shots for all of them, she’d taken hers and thrown it back in one go, the sweet alcoholic drink burning it’s way to her stomach. She figured that, as she didn't have an averse reaction to the champagne earlier, she was okay for a bit more alcohol. Three shots later, she was pleasantly buzzed and more relaxed than she’d been for ages. If only she didn't need to pee. It was so much fun with Elsa and the two men on the dance floor, that she had managed to ignore nature’s call for a while. By now she had to go, badly, and she excused herself for a moment, indicating her need for the bathroom to Elsa. The woman nodded and waved Ariel off, assuring her they would wait for her on the floor.  
  
Ariel made her way through the throng of people and was very relieved to find the line for the toilets was very short. There were only two women waiting in front of her. She quickly checked her makeup and hairdo and concluded everything was still in order. Despite her having been quite active on the dance floor and being a bit sweaty, the makeup had held up very well. No running foundation or eyeliner. Yay!

After doing her business and washing her hands, she exited the ladies room. Before returning to her friends, she decided to pop by the bar for a glass of water. Dehydration was a bitch, especially on mornings after drinking and dancing. She wasn't going to get caught out and be hungover all day tomorrow.

She collected her drink from the bartender and stood off to the side a bit, to give other people more room to order their own drinks. It was very busy on the lower floor by now, and next to impossible for Ariel to see where her friends were dancing. As she sipped from the deliciously cool water, she tried to look over people's shoulders by standing on the tips of her toes. It was to no avail. She was surrounded by tall people; something that always seemed to happen in her life. _Figures, s_ he snickered, debating with herself if she’d be better off if she went upstairs to look down at the dance floor and locate her friends or if she’d just go for it and dance by herself, hoping to bump into them again at some point. 

Finishing her drink and setting the glass back onto the bar, where it was quickly taken away by a bartender, she decided on the latter option. She was a big girl and she knew they wouldn't leave without her, so she’d find them again, eventually.  Moving her body in time with the beat of the music, she danced her way back into the throng of people on the dance floor.

She enjoyed the sexy slow beat and harmony that was playing as she closed her eyes and swayed to the music. It felt freeing and made her feel like she was in her own little bubble of happiness. Then the Plastic Plates Remix of Sia’s ‘Chandelier’ started playing and she moved her hands above her head -yay for a, sort of, working shoulder and alcohol!- while dancing in a slow grind. Rolling her hips from side to side, she bent her knees, slowly sunk down a bit and then came back up with an arching of her back and a hip roll. Making her body look like it was made out of one fluid wave-movement.

The moment she was upright again, she felt a presence behind her and large hands were suddenly lightly pressing against her hips, strong fingers landing on her tummy. She could feel another person’s body heat warming her back through her dress, even though they weren’t pressed up against her. The only touching that was done were those hands on her hips. Her whole posture stiffened slightly from the shock of suddenly being touched. She made to step away, but the hands on her hips held on and the man behind her stepped with her. She was starting to panic a bit.

Then there was a warm puff of breath on the side of her neck and the skin on her arms broke out in goosebumps. What the hell...

‘Hello, Sygin.’ purred a low, gravelly voice in her left ear.

Ariel froze as she felt an electric shock run through her entire body. Racing up her spine in cold tingles and down again in a hot burning flash, where it pooled in her lower belly, a flurry of tiny butterflies exploding behind her bellybutton. 

Jesus Christ! What the fuck was that?!? Had she ever had such a blazingly visceral physical reaction to anyone before? To a person’s voice?!  
  
‘Tom.’ She whispered, eyes widening when she realised who was standing behind her. Was he supposed to be here tonight? Wasn’t he filming? He was supposed to be in Mallorca!

She let out a shuddering breath and tried to get her body under control. It didn't seem to want to cooperate, she was still hot and frozen and shaking slightly.  
  
Tom’s right hand slid from her hip to her front, long fingers splayed wide, covering a large part of her tummy. It felt warm, and simultaneously comforting and disconcerting. He was still standing behind her, not moving, not touching her body with his, patiently waiting for her next move.

She realised he was giving her a choice. To either accept him or decline. He was holding her loosely now and she knew she could step away if she wanted to. She didn't know if she wanted to. She knew she should, step away that is, because, fuck, this was a complication she wasn't sure she wanted to deal with, but her subconscious apparently wasn't having any of that ‘step-away-and-play-it-safe’ crap. Shit. Her breathing sped up as her body trembled from the tension she felt.

Tom must have noticed her indecision and welling panic, because the thumb of the hand that was on her left hip started rubbing soft, comforting circles, his fingers giving her a very quick, fortifying squeeze. It worked, because it pulled her out of the distress she was experiencing and grounded her once more.

‘Will you dance with me, Ariel?’ His voice was now warm and soft next to her ear and with the question posed in a completely open and vulnerable way, she let her body, -and maybe her heart-, decide for her.

Nodding her assent, she allowed herself to yield to the light pressure of his hand on her tummy and she stepped back, moulding her body to his, closing the small gap between them.

Slowly she started to move to the heady musical beat again and he followed, tightening the hold his hands had on her, pulling her even closer to him. Their first moves together were a bit unsure and searching, but then they found their rhythm.  Tom followed her lead, bending his knees slightly to allow for a more fluid movement and he was so in sync with her, that it felt like his body was fused to hers.

When the music finally changed to a more upbeat tune, Tom turned his right hand palm up, and grasped the left hand that she had laid over his on her tummy, linking their fingers.

‘I’m going to spin you now.’ He stated in her ear, softly squeezing the hand he was holding. 

Ariel, who was having a hard time concentrating on anything else than his body moving so beguilingly against hers, could only nod, and then she was spinning outward. 

The moment she as far away from him as their outstretched arms could reach, the DJ started mixing the track that was playing with the track ‘I know you want me’ from Pitbull and then transferred completely to that song.

Ha! Salsa!

Spinning back to Tom, she put her right hand up in couples dance position and Tom immediately reacted, raising his left hand, clapping it into hers and manoeuvring her against him into the right stance. His right hand landed on her hip, his back went ramrod straight, his shoulders back and his chin rose up a fraction. 

Ariel rose up to her toes and kicked out her leg, toe pointed and then bent it around his leg. Tom’s right eyebrow raised questioningly.

‘Cha-cha!’ She said, loud enough to be heard over the music. Tom smirked and inclined his head in agreement.

The first few steps of the dance he was leading her carefully, learning what level of dance experience she had, but as she matched him step for step, he started to do more intricate steps and turns and to his obvious delight she followed seamlessly.  Around them the dance floor emptied, just like it had when Elsa and Ariel had danced together. A big empty circle formed and people on the upper floors came to the balustrade to see what all the hullabaloo on the lower dance floor was about.

Bob was leaning over the balustrade, again filming the whole scene with his phone.

‘For posterity.’ He said to Hemsworth, who he thought was right next to him.

But Hemsworth threw the shoulder strap of his wife’s clutch around Bob’s neck -where Ariel’s was already hanging- and was gone. Bob saw him hopping down the escalator.

‘Gotta go see a girl about a dance!’ He shouted up at Bob and was gone in the crowd, looking for his wife.

Bob grinned excitedly.

‘Oh, this is gonna be great!’ He pointed his phone at the dance floor below and leaned forward as far as was safely possible, to miss nothing of the show. And what a show it was.

\---

He’d been right about those two. He’d seen the spark the moment he saw them together for the first time, in Steele’s Pub. They’d already moved in sync; were subconsciously aware of the other, more or less. Something had happened between the two, though, he had noticed, something bad that had thrown them into a dissonance.  Ariel had been very reserved and closed off toward Tom at first and Tom had been desperately trying to set something right. Ariel had had trouble keeping eye contact with the actor, looking away from him when she talked to him, and Tom had been throwing deeply sad glances her way all night, when he thought nobody was watching. But Bob was watching.  He was always watching where his friends were concerned. And always seeing things no-one else noticed. He always put up the talkative bravado front, but that was to hide the highly intelligent and observant person he was underneath it all.  Better to let your opponents underestimate you. Especially in the game of thrones that was Hollywood. 

He’d seen a lot of himself in Ariel, who may have been a bit more in the background than he was, but she saw through people in a way he hadn't encountered much before now. And she didn't take anyone’s shit, no matter how famous, or rich, or powerful, they were. She had matched him every which way possible in their verbal sparring match and even succeeded in silencing him, having him in awe of her sharp mind and matching tongue. She had been in her element, waging a battle of minds with him. He had gotten the impression that she didn't get the chance to do that often enough. Seeing her sitting at the bar with her drink before he’d gone up to her, she’d looked a bit forlorn and it had tugged at his heart.

And then it had occurred to him that he knew a man who could give her just that. An intellectual challenge. A man who was just as lonely as she had looked in the moment he’d seen her first. Who longed for love and a family and a warm hug to come home to. Who would give as good as he got. Who was seeing some fucking shoddy singer whom gave Bob the creeps when he was introduced to her. That just wouldn’t do. He’d have to try and get the man in question to see how the crafty shrew was conning him.

He had quickly checked Ariel’s fingers for a wedding band and found none. There was a slight indentation at the base of her left ring finger though -a sign she had worn a ring there for a long time-, so he had assumed she was probably divorced. Only later had he learned she was a widow. 

They’d be so well matched. He, an ambitious workaholic who said yes to almost anything and everything people asked of him. Sometimes to his own detriment. She, a woman intelligent and spirited enough to counterbalance him in the same way he could her.

Oh, the fireworks he could see in their future.

But how to get them to meet without looking like a dirty old matchmaker…

The thought hadn't even left his brain yet when the man in question had walked into the pub. Apparently having an appointment with Ariel. That had been so convenient.

So they were already acquainted, he couldn't believe his luck. But… Something wasn't right between them… He’d looked sharply from one to the other. Well, shit… Would you just look at that… Fucking hell, Tom, what have you done now? Mayday, mayday, rectifying measures needed. Yes, of course she’s staying for dinner now. He had to think. What to do? 

Oooh, Tom and the crone had broken up? Infinite possibilities! Yay!

He’d come up with an elaborate plan that had led to this night.   
  
Tom had flown in from Mallorca. It had been suspiciously easy to persuade him to fly in for just the party, after Bob had mentioned that Ariel would be there. Had they been mending their discord over the past week?   
Tom had landed only two hours ago, had gone home to take a shower and change into a charcoal button up shirt and black dress slacks and then came straight to Shaka Zulu.  
  
He’d walked up to where Hemsworth and Bob were sitting; greeting them both with a hug and a smile and glittering mischievous eyes.

‘Where is she?’ He’d asked, looking to Bob.

Bob had pointed to the floor below, grinning from ear to ear, and Tom was off to the balustrade.  
  
Looking down, Tom didn't get the dumbstruck expression on his face that Bob had been expecting. Bob had been a bit disappointed by that. Until he'd seen what happened next. Tom had apparently found Ariel in the crowd below and Bob could see the exact moment that he did. Instead of going slack jawed, Tom’s whole countenance had changed.

Gone was the happy-go-lucky expression he wore most of the time. He’d dropped his mask and underneath Bob had seen the iron backbone, the ruthlessness and burning ambition that had brought the man so much success in his career. Only this time it hadn't been directed at a career goal. This time that laser focus had been directed at the petite woman below, at the small vessel which held an immensely bright spirit that blazed from her like an unquenchable greek fire.

Tom had taken in a deep breath, his features becoming even sharper than they usually were. He'd subconsciously pushed out his chest and squared his shoulders, while clenching and unclenching his hands and dropping his head forward slightly, his eyes narrowing, focussing on the woman dancing in the crowd below. 

Then he'd turned on his heel and walked to the escalator with a sleek predatory gait. With his tight dark clothes, he'd almost resembled a panther.

It had looked so impressive that Bob was the one going slack-jawed. 

‘Holy fuck.’ He'd whispered to himself. It hadn't been the result he had been aiming for, but this was better. Intenser. And better. Better, better, better. So much better.

As Tom had disappeared from sight, Bob came out of his awed shock and jumped up. He'd rushed to the balustrade, pulling out his phone on the way, to record the whole damn thing. Hemsworth had followed on his heels.

‘Fireworks. Yay!’ Bob had giddily said to apparently no-one. 

He'd looked down at the crowd and saw Tom had reached Ariel. They were not hard to spot as they were the only ones standing frozen in a sea of moving bodies. 

They were half facing him and he'd seen, that though it looked like they were pressed together, there was still space between their bodies. Tom’s hands were resting chastely on Ariel’s hips. 

_Oh Tom, always the gentleman, exercising that iron self-control. you prim British sot._ He'd thought, shaking his head.

Bob could see the shock that went through Ariel’s body from all the way up on the balustrade, when Tom had bent his head down to say something in her ear. Her eyes had widened and her lips had parted slightly as she sucked in a fast breath. Tom had moved his right hand to splay wide on her stomach, but still kept a respectful distance between them.

What was Tom waiting for. Freaking hell. Grumbling to himself, Bob narrowed his eyes when Tom seemed to say something else to Ariel.

It took a few moments, but she'd suddenly relaxed and nodded. Taking a small step back she'd rested her head against Tom’s chest, fitting her body to his.

Bob saw Tom briefly close his eyes and drop his head forward, the palpable relief on his face merging into an expression of blazing intensity when Ariel started to move her body to the beat again. Tom’s nostrils had expanded as he breathed in and his entire body just started to fold itself around the woman in front of him before he seemed to remember where he was and what he was doing. It had taken him only a fraction of a second to reign himself in, to school his features into something more socially acceptable, straighten himself out a bit, and start to move in sync with Ariel. 

Bob had decided that this video would be for the couple’s eyes only, to be deleted from his phone, the moment he turned it over to them. It was such an intensely private moment that he almost felt like a dirty old voyeur. Almost.

Hemsworth apparently went all the way in that feeling.

‘We’re not supposed to be looking at this, mate.’ He'd whispered. 

Bob had agreed without contestation, for once, and made a move to turn off the recording, when Tom suddenly twirled Ariel away from him with an elegant old world flair and the beat of the music changed into something faster, less tangy and more merry.  Within seconds Tom and Ariel were fiercely moving around a quickly emptying dance floor, in an improvised cha cha choreography.

Quickly, Bob aimed his phone at the couple again. 

‘For posterity.’ He'd joked at Hemsworth only a fraction before a shoulder strap was haphazardly thrown around his neck and Hemsworth was jumping down the escalator.

\---

It wasn't ten seconds later that Hemsworth and Elsa joined Tom and Ariel on the floor with a hotly passionate salsa dance… Embrace… Sex… Thingy… It looked like a mix between a tango and the lambada… and... sex? Fuck… Where was Susan when he needed her? Oh, yeah, he’d told her to stay in LA with the babies… Damn… Bob sighed sadly.  
  
A cheer went up from the onlookers watching the two couples, who were quickly becoming quite competitive, trying to outdo the other with increasingly difficult steps and moves.

Bob checked the crowd and concluded that none of them had their phones out. It was one of the Marvel rules, there would be no photographing, or filming the stars, during private Marvel functions or on closed sets. Looked like everyone had taken the warnings and NDAs to heart. Working for Marvel was a career high for most of them and no-one was prepared to put their job -and career- in jeopardy for a few minutes of internet fame.

Except Bob of course. But he always monitored and censured everything starkly -hehe, he made a pun- before putting it online and that was the only reason Marvel allowed him to ‘break’ that rule. Well, that and the fact that he made them billions of dollars… Yeah, that might be the main reason… Oh well… Whatever…

Suddenly a roar went up and the crowd went wild. Bob focussed on the dance floor again, where Seb and Evans had just entered the battleground in their own version of latin dance. Dancing together that is. Trying to get one up on the other couples. Only they had trouble deciding who was leading whom.  It was hilarious and Bob had trouble holding his phone steady. He was shaking with suppressed laughter, trying to prevent it showing up loudly on the video.

He was getting eager to join his friends downstairs and have some fun, but knew he also wanted to keep filming until the song was done.

‘This is ridiculous.’ He said softly to himself, and turned the camera around to film himself.

‘Well, it looks like a couple of the eligible Marvel bachelors are spoken for, ladies and gents! In a way we never ever expected, but whatever… As long as everyone is happy, I’m happy.’ He said, sticking out the tip of his tongue between his teeth, pulling the corners of his mouth up and quickly turning the camera back to the dance floor where 3 couples were twirling round and round, zooming in on Evans and Seb. The video was going up on Instagram and he didn't want his Pixie’s privacy violated so early in her and Tom’s ‘courting’ period. So, he was careful to only film Evans and Seb.  The men seemed to have found their rhythm and were now serious in their pursuit of the dancing crown, spinning each other out and in and increasing their speed with every turn.

Then he turned the cam on himself again.

‘And this is where I leave you.’ He said into to lens and grinned widely, winking at future viewers. 

‘Byyyyeee!’ With a wave of his fingers he took his leave and turned the cam off.

He snickered when he thought about how the last few seconds of the vid would break, nay, blow up the internet. Like, exploding the hell out of it. He couldn't wait to get all the footage sorted.

Putting his phone away and rearranging the two small purses hanging around his neck he made his way down the escalator to join in the fray and enjoy the rest of the evening without a camera at the ready.


	27. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hot, Funny, AND partly from Tom's POV. What else do you need, right?

**Chapter 26**

 

She was flying! Dancing with Tom had her gliding over the dance floor. He led her, seemingly effortlessly, through the difficult steps and twirls. She’d never felt this light and giddy while dancing. Not even with her husband.  Brian had been a reasonably good dancer, but he had always held himself a bit stiffly and some of his moves had been too rigid for him to be deemed great at dancing. They’d always had fun with it, but they’d never gotten very far in competitions because of his unwillingness to completely surrender to the music. 

How different it was with Tom. The man lived and breathed the rhythm and flow of dancing. He wasn't afraid to experiment and push her out of her comfort zone and into a few difficult moves she’d never done before, leading her through them like a damn professional.

She looked up into his eyes and the intense passion and joy that shone back at her took her breath away.  He spun her out and when he pulled her back in, he turned her a bit further so her back was pressed to his chest again.

‘You look beautiful, my Sigyn.’ He said next to her ear and twirled her out once more. 

Ariel felt her face flush slightly and, frowning a bit, defiantly mouthed a ‘ _Not anyone’s_ ’ when she was back in his arms and looking up at him, referring to their texts from a few days before. He might have caused her insides to go into a twist each time he touched her, but she wasn’t any man’s property, dammit.

He grinned down at her and opened his mouth to say something, but then he was distracted by something happening behind her. He didn't miss a beat in his steps as he turned them so she could see Chris and Elsa bursting onto the floor in a very risqué salsa dancing position before they were off having dance-sex -that’s what it looked like in spite of them still being fully clothed- the latin way.

Wow… Talk about  _hot..._

They were triumphantly throwing glances at Tom and Ariel. Clearly provoking them to take the challenge of a dance-off.

The DJ was picking up on the salsa-themed dance music being a hit and started mixing in more latin beats.

Tom looked back down at Ariel and raised an eyebrow.

‘You wanna kick some ass?’ He asked, tipping his head toward Chris and Elsa.

Ariel glanced at the other couple showing off, and looked back up at Tom confidently and with a defiant fire in her eyes. She was not backing down from this. Not when the other couple was so blatantly flaunting their dance moves.

‘Bring it!’ She said, nodding firmly, and Tom’s face split into an exultant grin. Apparently they both loved a challenge.

She was pulled tightly into Tom’s body as he put his hand on her lower back, just above the curve of her bum, gently pressing a muscled thigh partly between her legs, and then proceeded to lead her into a quite naughty version of the Lambada. Apparently he was determined to match the other couple in their hot moves. 

She missed a step because of her shock, a step which Tom corrected immediately and she felt a laugh rumble up through his torso. She looked up at him, now completely flushed. She could feel the heat of her blush radiate down her chest.

_Sheesh, Ariel! You’re thirty-six, not sixteen, get your act together._ She berated herself as she saw how highly amused Tom was by her reaction. And maybe slightly aroused… Oh dear… As the text messages with Sophie played through her mind, her eyes trailed down to his trousers before quickly shooting back up to his face. 

His smile had turned into a positively wicked grin, wolfish even… Oh… Oh dear… 

He leaned down.

‘Maybe better if you don’t spin away for a couple of minutes.’ he rumbled next to her ear. He eased the pressure on her back a bit, so she wasn't pressed to him as tightly.

Ariel pulled her head away and looked into his eyes, now so close to hers. They were almost glowing in the semi-darkness of the club. Fuuuuuck. Her eyes widened slightly as he just kept leading her in the dance and bent his head further down to nuzzle his face into the side of her neck. The breath left her lungs in a silent whoosh.

‘What are you doing?!’ She asked, her voice a bit panicky next to his ear.

‘Dancing.’ Was his simple answer. His breath and the vibrations of his voice on her neck were causing goosebumps to break out over her whole body.

_Focus! Ariel, Focus!_

‘This. is. _not._ dancing.’ Ariel protested, lightly panting from exertion from the fast paced dance.

‘Yes it is. We’re going to bend you backwards now. You know how to stay up in a lift?’ He asked.

Ariel only had the chance to nod once before she was bending over backwards. When she came back up again, Tom’s hands were around her waist and she helped him lift by hopping up, placing her hands on his shoulders and pushing herself up high as he straightened his arms above his head. She was only up for a few seconds when he lowered his arms again, let go of her waist, placed one hand on her back and let her slowly slide down the side of his body, catching her left leg in a big hand and pulling it around his hip. The pointed tip of her right boot slid along the floor as he held her up against him and walked backwards a few paces before he deposited her on her feet and started to lead her around the floor again.

Ariel caught her breath a bit and then her eye fell on the scene that played out just behind Tom. She burst out laughing, not able to contain her amusement.

Sebastian and Evans had come onto the floor and danced the lambada, with each other. Only they were warring on who was leading. It was hilarious to watch.

Tom looked down at her in surprise; his back to the two men who were goofing off.

‘What?’ He mouthed, slightly flabbergasted by her sudden switch in moods.

Ariel pointed at the two men with the index finger of the hand that was held by Tom's.

‘Look at that.’ She laughed.

Tom turned them around a bit so he could see what he was missing.

Surprise and then mirth passed over his face when he saw Seb and Chris joining their little contest. He grinned and looked back down at Ariel.

‘We have competition.’ He snickered.

‘Psh, hardly.’ Ariel grinned confidently, relieved that the mounting tension between her and Tom was lessening a bit with the humorous intervention by a dancing Cap and Bucky. If any of their shippers ever found this out, the internet would break.

The pair of men eventually found their rhythm as they twirled around the floor. Then they suddenly let go of each other and both veered off in another direction. Seb snatched Elsa out of Hemsworth’s arms and Evans inserted himself between Tom and Ariel, just as she was on an outwards spin. He intercepted her gracefully and they were off.

‘Hey.’ He said to Ariel, grinning mischievously and provocatively flexed his pecs under his tight button up shirt. Which incidentally were exactly on eye height for her.

She rolled her eyes in exasperation and turned her head to look back at Tom, who was left standing at the edge of the dance floor, face changing from a surprised to a very determined expression, before he stalked into their direction. 

‘Um, hey. I’m not so sure that was such a good idea.’ She said loudly, to get heard over the music.

‘What? This was a great idea. Tom can’t keep you all to himself all night.’ Chris grinned and twirled her in his arms. 

Chris was a very good dancer, but she found he was not as intuitively anticipating her moves as Tom did.

Speaking of Tom. She was in another twirl when she was scooped up into a pair of strong arms that weren't as beefy as Chris’s. She’d been masterfully intercepted by her former dance-partner who was busy triumphantly flipping Chris the bird before he grasped her right hand and started leading her over the floor again.

Her eyes fell on a vexed Hemsworth who was trying to pry his maniacally laughing wife from Seb’s arms. Every time Chris thought he was close, Seb spun her around and away from the giant’s attempts to insert himself between the two. Chris was left standing in the middle of the dance floor, hands on his hips, shaking his head in irritation. 

Other Chris was in the same predicament and Bob chose that moment to appear on the dance floor, carrying two small purses as necklaces around his neck. 

Seb decided to dance Elsa toward the others and most of the people watching them took this as a sign that the shenanigans were over, and they started to occupy the floor again. Within seconds Elsa and the men were swallowed by the crowds and the DJ switched music styles. Just like that, the competition was over and once again Ariel and Tom were alone in a throng of dancing people.

By now they were swaying slightly to the music, at the outer edge of the dance floor, where it was a bit more quiet, as the speakers were facing away from them. They were still close together, but with a bit more space between them. Tom's right hand was on her waist and his left was holding her right up in couple's dance position. 

Ariel was starting to feel a bit awkward and tried to come up with something to say to break the silence between them. She stared straight ahead at his chest and saw the straining buttons of his tight shirt. Poor buttons. Holding on for dear life now he had bulked up for his role in The Night Manager.

Right, he was filming the miniseries for the BBC. Maybe they could talk about that? He was supposed to be in Mallorca for at least another three weeks... Maybe more? Right?

‘How are you here?… Why are you here, Tom? You’re supposed to be filming in the Mediterranean.’ She said, frowning in confusion and looking up at him; hesitantly pushing away from him a bit.

Tom grinned mischievously and tilted his head, narrowing his eyes.

‘Well, I couldn't just let that blatantly audacious provocation of yours slide, now could I.’ His features sharpened as he tensed his facial muscles and suddenly Loki was there. ’Loptr doesn't back down when a Daughter of Titans evokes his interest with her cheeky irreverence.’ He growled, menacingly.

Ariel sucked in a quick breath, not in the least intimidated and _very_ determined not to be outplayed by Tom, and stood on her toes to place her lips next to his ear.

‘Well, Maybe _Loptr_ shouldn't have made it so easy for her to best him verbally, then.’ Her eyes sparkled defiantly when he turned his head to look at her. He opened his mouth to retort, but she grabbed him by the shirt and yanked his ear to her lips again. She felt a shiver go through him. Good. He was as off-kilter as she was.

‘Really, _Silvertongue_ , I thought you’d be more of a challenge. I’m starting to think that this reputation of yours is all a self-fabricated form of self-glorification, woven into our mythology to let us think you are unprecedentedly linguistically and magically gifted, when in fact, you. are. _not_ …. Lies upon lies upon lies… _Lie-smith._ ’ She hissed and let go of his shirt, smoothing the wrinkles with her hand while raising a challenging eyebrow at him. 

She lowered herself again from tip-toe, until she found her balance on both feet and then she grinned maliciously up at him; really getting into the wicked atmosphere that surrounded them.

She discovered he was gazing down at her with a bewildered look in his eyes and she shook off the personification of her Titania/Themis/Sigyn that he had so easily brought forth with his Loki. Her eyes searched his face for some sort of indication to what he was thinking.

‘What?’ She asked, shyly, now feeling a bit bashful about her sudden zesty mood, the left corner of her mouth pulling up a little in uncertainty.

He shook his head slightly, as if he tried to order his thoughts by doing so. Then he seemed to make a decision. Mouth tightening in resolve, he lowered his head and rested his forehead against hers, raising his right hand to her temple.

‘So bright, so talented.’ He said, tapping the side of her head softly with his fingers, gazing deep into her eyes. 

He let his hand slide down a bit and caressed the side of her face while he moved his mouth to her ear. 

‘So utterly beautiful.’ He said, being only just audible over the music, and let his hand fall to the valley between her breasts, right above her heart, making her gasp in surprise. 

‘So strong, and so stunning’ He said as he pressed down slightly on her sternum, taking care not to touch her breasts.

A shock went through Ariel as his words registered. She pulled her head back and turned it a bit, so she could look him in the eye, stunned by his assessment of her. The look in his eyes was completely vulnerable and open. Unlike anything she’d seen from him before. 

‘Please forgive me for not seeing it when we first met. I was so blinded by anger and hurt. I’m so sorry.’ 

His anguished expression took her breath away and before she lost her nerve and started to think it through too much -like how she hadn’t been this close to anyone in two years, since Brian died-, she bridged the few inches that separated them and pushed her lips lightly to his.

‘It’s okay… It’s okay.’ She whispered against his lips. 

She felt a shiver go through him and she pulled back a bit to see if she’d crossed a line she shouldn't have. His eyes found hers, expressing shock and something else; hope?... Maybe.

What if she'd just made a big mistake? Kissing him was a spur of the moment action, induced by a combination of all the tension that had been building between them since he surprised her on the dance floor earlier that night, and his brave and open-hearted confession just now. 

What if she’d fucked up? Shit. Biting her lip she started to step back, trying to get a bit of space between them... Shit, was this too much? Too fast? 

Ugh, she hated this uncertainty. She was a flippin' thirty-six-year-old woman and she was behaving and feeling like a teenager. Apparently these things never got easier…

Tom didn’t give her the chance to pull back any further. He seemed to have overcome his shock and cradled her face gently in both hands, pulling her to him. Suddenly he was kissing her back with fervour.

Oh, how the man could kiss.  His tongue softly caressed the seam of her closed mouth and she granted him access, parting her lips. He deepened the kiss, stroking her tongue with his, coaxing it to him. Tentatively, she tasted him. A soft growl escaped him and one of his hands left her face to cradle the back of her head. The other hand slid down to her lower back, long fingers caressing her spine.

It had been a long time since she'd kissed a man. It had been even longer since she'd kissed a man other than Brian, which was over half her lifetime ago. A trembling breath escaped her.  It felt so good. She felt so torn. 

She'd been with her husband for a long time and kissing someone else right now felt a bit like cheating, despite the fact that she'd been a widow for the past two years. Oh dear Circe, but she loved how Tom’s lips felt against hers. A tear rolled down her cheek and a sob escaped from deep inside, making her body tremble.

Tom gently ended the kiss and withdrew to regard her with a worried expression. His thumb rubbed over her cheek, smudging away the tear.

‘I’m sorry, I didn't mean to…’ He started to apologise, a devastated look on his face. 

Ariel resolutely shook her head and raised her hand to her face to grasp the hand he had placed on her cheek. She looked around and spotted a dimly lit corridor just behind them. Without hesitation she pulled Tom along, walking to the end of the corridor, where there was a door to a stairwell, probably the emergency exit. 

It was still quite dark there, but lighter than on the dance floor and also a lot more quiet and private than the part of the club they’d just vacated.

She turned around to face Tom, who was watching her anxiously. Before she could say anything, he started to ramble.

‘If I somehow fucked up even more than last week, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry. Oh god, I made you cry. Fuck!’ He folded his hands behind his neck, closed his eyes and threw his head back in obvious self-contempt. He started to pace, body tightly strung from stress.

‘I shouldn't have kissed you like that. Shit… So stupid.’

Ariel stepped into his path, slapping her hand against his midriff in irritation -ouch, what did he have there? Cement?!?-. He stopped pacing and looked down in surprise. She frowned up at him. Eyes blazing.

‘Will you stop? Just stop! It’s not you who made me cry. And fuck it if I don't own up to the fact that _I_ kissed _you_ first! How dare you take the ‘blame’ for that. And by the way, I wanted to kiss that lovely mouth of yours, very much, and I don't regret a second of it.  
So there you have it.  
Sheesh, can’t a girl have a bit of a moment when she kisses the first man she's kissed since her husband? Do you have any idea what it felt like to take yet another step forward in my life without him? But I did, I took that step. Me! Don’t you dare take that away from me.’ She scolded, poking his chest - _oh wow, so firm_ \- with a finger to emphasise her point.

 

Tom stared down at her in silent awe at her fire and honesty. She didn't hide a thing about her feelings, about herself; just threw it all out into the open. So vulnerable, so sincere, so strong. She wore her heart on her sleeve. Such an incredible rarity in his world.

As the silence stretched, she blinked up at him expectantly; obviously expecting him to react negatively to her tirade. 

He said the first thing that came to him.

‘You think my mouth is lovely.’ A slow grin broke out on his face. Going by the impressive eyeroll she performed, it might not have been the best choice of words, but what can you do. 

‘I open up to you and tell you that you are my first kiss in two years and _that’s_ what you took from it?’ She asked, raising an eyebrow in perplexed wonder.

‘No, I heard that too. And that you wanted to kiss me, very much.’

‘Um, yes?’

‘That’s good.’ He said, as he took a step towards her.

She took a step back and accidentally bumped the door to the stairwell open. She would have fallen through it, if it hadn't been for his hands reaching out to gently grasp her upper arms and keeping her upright.

‘Oh, oops.’ She glanced behind her, a bit bewildered, and then shyly looked back up at him. 

‘It is?’

“yes, very.’ He steered her backwards, through the door and up two steps of the stairs, so they were more or less face to face, and at a comfortable height.

‘Why?’ She asked, her voice echoing through the stairwell and her eyes glittering almost like clear, green glass under the harsh emergency lighting. 

Up close, he could see the smudges in her makeup from the night of dancing -and kissing him-, a dusting of light freckles on her nose and high on her cheeks -probably from the sunny weather of the past few weeks- shining through.  Fine laugh lines around her eyes and at the corners of her mouth betrayed that she wasn't as young as she generally looked at first glance. Something he’d have balked at not even a year ago, but now… Now, he didn't give a flying fuck. She was stunning, inside and out. 

Fuck, why did he have to meet her _after_ the cluster-fuck -aka his relationship with Zoe- happened? Had he been so blinded by lust and longing for a family of his own that he had clung to that lamia for as long as he had? Had he been superficial enough to lose sight of what really mattered in a relationship, and entertained the thought that he could have all he wanted with one of those beautiful, but slightly cold, women who fell into his bed whenever he snapped his fingers?

After that thought he had to admit to himself, had he met Ariel seven months ago, he wouldn't have given her the light of day. He _had_ been so fucking superficial. 

A high and mighty, celebrated actor with an ego to match. He was admired by many and had gotten _used_ to being fawned over by the most stunning young women. In his head, he'd had his future all planned out. A future containing one of those pretty young women and a baby, or two. All perfect and beautiful and happy. So fucking stupid.

It had all turned to ashes when Zoe made him see that most of those young twenty something women who threw themselves at him and seemed to worship the ground he walked on, probably were more enamoured with his growing fame and his carefully constructed image, and his very sizeable bank-account, than they had been with him as a person. 

Yes, he’d learned a valuable lesson in the past few weeks and months. 

Nothing worth having was ever attained without blood, sweat and tears. Life wasn't a perfect little picture. Life was brutal and hard and fragile and glorious and beautiful, all at once. And if you were lucky, you found the right someone to share your burdens and happiness with, the same way that they would share theirs with you.

He caressed Ariel’s cheek. She was looking at him patiently and at the same time she seemed a little puzzled by his silence.  


‘Earth to Hiddleston. Tom, are you there?’ She tried to lighten his sudden seemingly somber mood with some light teasing.

Tom snapped out of it and he answered her earlier question, his voice low.

‘Because, I wanted to kiss you very much, too. Have wanted to since that first time you stood up to me. I wanted to feel that fire up close. And it scared the hell out of me.’

‘Oh. Well, you know what they say about fear; face it. Confront it head on.’ Was her witty reply before he leant forward and almost reverently kissed her soft lips again, a smile threatening to break through on his face. 


	28. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drama ensues...

**Chapter 27**

 

A soft sigh escaped Ariel as she leaned into Tom and put her arms around his neck. There was something to be said for snogging while standing at the same height. No sore toes from pushing yourself up for a period of time and no sore neck from leaning your head back. 

The kiss turned, from soft and tender, to hot and heavy, very quickly, as tongues came into play. Tongues that caressed lips, teeth and each other as Tom’s hands slid from her arms to her bum, gently squeezing, eliciting a soft squeak from Ariel. He stepped one step up, crowding her with his stature, and pulled her against his hard body, one hand moving upwards to cradle the back of her head, a low groan vibrating against her lips. She shivered at hearing his moan and pushed her body even more against his, trying to get as close to him as she could. Tom’s hand slid from her bum to her leg, pulling it up and around his waist, him now supporting most of her weight. 

Ariel had no idea how much further they would have gone, because, suddenly, there was a loud bellow echoing through the stair well.

‘Jesus Fucking Christ, TOM! Goddamnitalltohell!’

A shock of fright went through both of them, causing them to break apart like guilty teenagers. 

Tom dropped her leg and turned around so quickly towards the source of the shouting, shielding her with his body, that Ariel had to grab the bannister to not fall over.

She stealthily peeked around Tom’s shoulder and saw a very, _very,_ irate publicist standing in the doorway, keeping the door open with his foot and dragging his hands through his hair and pulling at it in an almost desperate motion.

‘Hey, Luke.’ Tom said hoarsely, still breathless from the kiss. His right hand reached behind him, towards Ariel, and she wove her fingers through his. This seemed to give him a bit more confidence and he squared his shoulders, stepping down from the stairs and pulling her with him, still shielding her from Luke’s view.  ‘What are you doing here?’ He asked, surprise lacing his tone.

‘What am I doing here? WHAT am **_I_** doing here?!? What the FUCK are **_You_** doing here?!?’ Luke looked like he was going to explode from exasperation, cheeks reddening, throwing his hands up to the ceiling in a gesture of complete desperation. 

He stepped into the stairway hall and let the door fall closed behind him. The finality of the door slamming closed made Ariel flinch.

‘Uh… I was invited to a party? So I attended?’ Tom tried. It sounded weak, and he knew it. Behind his back, Ariel shook her head at his sheepish tone. How the hell was he a nominated actor?!

‘Nononono. **No**! This was not on your schedule. _YOU!_ ’ Luke pointed a shaking finger at Tom. ‘Are _supposed_ to be filming. IN MALLORCA! MALLORCA! Not gallivanting around at a very public Marvel wrap party -In LONDON! For a movie you’re not even _in_! Do you have any _**IDEA**_ what kind of a PR nightmare you are creating here?!? You’re supposed to be licking your break-up wounds in the mediterranean, working your arse off and laying low...  Instead I find out, **_through social media,_** goddammit, that you’re in **LONDON**! And PARTYING?!? Fucking hell, Hiddleston, I thought we agreed on this. You’d lay low until the news of the pregnancy breaks. You being seen partying in London so soon after the break-up will only damage your reputation more; not to mention that it gives Zoe the chance to play into being the only victim in this story. Poor little ol’ her, pregnant and dumped by a partying and womanising man-whore, who doesn't seem to give a damn about his child.’

Tom froze at that argumentation, his body going rigid as he sucked in a shocked breath. He groaned and shook his head.

‘Shit.’ He said. ‘I’m sorry, Luke. I hadn't looked at it that way.’ He raked his free hand through his already tousled hair and frowned dejectedly, looking down at the floor. Ariel felt sorry for him. He'd fucked up. Again.

Luke sighed and slowly shook his head, visibly trying to calm himself down. 

‘I didn't think you had... Shit, Tom, I understand that you’re a bit, well, maybe more than just a bit, confused, and hurt, and unbalanced, from all that’s happened, but this is completely out of character for you. Just up and go and leave an important project like you did today, in the middle of an ongoing shoot. It’s irresponsible and doesn't send a positive message to any of the people involved... I just hope we can keep this contained. We could turn this into, you having a lightning quick visit with your Marvel colleagues, who will soon be leaving to their own parts of the world. I think if everyone keeps to the NDA’s Marvel made them sign, no gossip or footage from tonight will come out of this nightclub and find its way to the press, but the paps are outside and they will want to know what you’re doing here. It might be a good idea to leave soon, and give them a short interview about supporting your fellow cast mates… ALONE!’ He said in a warning tone when Tom turned his head sideways, glancing toward the woman behind him.

‘Come on out Ariel. I know it’s you he’s trying to hide.’ There was no fooling Luke, apparently.

Ariel uneasily cleared her throat and, sliding her hand out of Tom’s grip, stepped out from behind him, giving an awkward wave. 

‘Hey, Luke.’

Luke looked from her to Tom and then rubbed both hands over his face. The usually so stoic publicist looked almost haggard.

‘Goddammit, fuck.’ He groaned as he peeked through his fingers at the two people standing before him. Tom looked fittingly guilty and rubbed his neck sheepishly, while Ariel looked properly snogged and a bit dazed from all that had happened that night.

‘I’m going to assume that you had no idea he would be here, right?’ He asked her, almost imploringly.

Ariel shook her head, gesturing with her hands helplessly.

‘No, I was as surprised as you were. Last I heard from him he was on set in Mallorca. And then… He was here… And… Stuff happened so fast… I don’t know how…’

Tom interjected hastily.

‘That’s right, she had nothing to do with me being here, Luke.’

‘Somehow I doubt that, Tom. I think she is the main reason you’re here. Fuck man, you have absolutely no self-control when it comes to these matters, do you?’

Tom growled at his publicist and then exploded at him. Ariel looked at him with wide, shocked, eyes

‘ _Jesus Christ_ , it’s not like I was looking for this, Luke! You know I’m always cautious and in control when it comes to matters of the heart. I’m not some kind of irresponsible girlfriend hopper. There might have been a couple of one night stands, but who in their twenties and thirties doesn't have a few of those under their belt? You also know how pathetically long I was single between my last girlfriend and Zoe. _Three fucking years!’_ He took a deep breath to calm himself before he lost his composure. ‘Look, I know I’m still fucked up from what she did to me. I made a mistake in trusting the wrong person and I’m paying for it. There’s nothing we can do to change that, but I’m not letting it stop me from living my life... Don’t think I haven't realised by now how inconvenient tonight’s developments are! I tried to keep a level head and stay in Mallorca, but I just couldn't help myself, I had to get away from there, away from the depressing emptiness that permeates everything in that house and its surroundings…’ Hanging his head he added a bit lamely, ‘…and I wanted to see a friendly face.’ 

Ariel stiffened next to him. What was he saying? That she was just a bit of a distraction from the crap in his life? He tried to take her hand, but she deflected.

‘It’s fucking inconvenient, alright. First, you are single for years, fuelling the gay rumours with every consecutive awards ceremony you attend alone and now you go after two women within eight months?! And knocking one of them up in the process! Christ, you do know how to keep me on my toes, don't you?’ Luke saw Tom raising his eyebrows in confusion. ‘Oh, come on, Tom, I know you, you’re a workaholic. You do not fly out from a filming location for just a night of fun with friends, when you have to be back on set at noon the next day. Not if it’s just a party. You are much too professional and driven to take such a risk, even when you’re as depressed as you are now. You always push through and work your arse off when you’re like this. This trip was never about that house, or your fuck-up with Zoe, this was always about Ariel. So, what we need to determine is if the inconvenience of this relational development is worth the shit-storm we’ll be facing, and we need to think on how we’re going to handle this situation.’  
  
‘Yeah, well, I might have not been thinking everything through, that clearly.’ Tom grumbled, getting more aggravated as the conversation progressed. ‘I’ve got a lot on my plate!’

‘That’s the understatement of the _year_!’ Luke exclaimed sarcastically, throwing his hands in the air in a theatrical gesture.

Ariel looked at both men, sharply; taking in their -hopefully temporary- hostility toward one another, and frowning at the -she hoped, unintentionally- callous way they discussed Tom and her 'acquaintance'. She crossed her arms in front of her; creating a barrier between herself and the two men. Those words might be poorly chosen and not really meant the way she heard them, but they still hurt. They kept on talking about her being an inconvenient problem to be solved so Tom’s rep wouldn't be too damaged. And even though she intellectually understood their need to do some damage control -Tom’s career could take a major set-back if things didn't get out to the press on his own terms-, they didn't even think about asking her for her opinion or consider her feelings on the subject. They were talking as if she wasn't even there; as if she was just an afterthought and she was not having it. She almost exploded at them in frustration and anger.

‘So I’m an inconvenience and a situation to be handled now, am I?! Well, let me make it easy for you then. I’m leaving.’

The men were startled out of their conversation by her sudden interference and both turned to her.

‘Ariel… That’s not…’ Tom started, reaching out to her with his hand. She stepped away from him and shook her head.

‘No Tom, I’m so not getting into this drama. In contrast to your former paramour I am not a twenty something, gold digging, tart, who is as free as a bird in her comings and goings as you are and neither am I as naive. I’m a grown woman with her own baggage... Jesus, do I have baggage. And I’m not having this…’ She pointed her finger between the three of them in a circular motion, ‘…this “situation”, bring more stress and strain into my life and my children’s lives than we’ve already had in the past three years.

'Tom, I like you, I really do. In spite of the rough start of our acquaintanceship, you’ve shown me that you are, at your core, a kind and intelligent man, who has experienced a lapse in judgment, and you have apologised for that; so that’s water under the bridge.’ She conceded and glanced at him before looking down at her hands. ‘And somehow we have this inexplicable click and growing attraction, but I am not so sure anymore if it is something I want to pursue, after listening to you two going on about me as if I’m just an afterthought in a PR shit-storm, without asking me what I want, or what my opinion is on it all. I’m not a pawn and I’m not some airhead floozy who goes along with everything you two cook up. Either I’m an equal partner in this, all-in, completely in the know and having a say in what happens to me, to us, or I’m out...

'I’m sorry to say that I’m leaning toward the ‘out’ option at the moment, and that’s why I’ll offer you one piece of advice, Tom; sort your sodding life and your fucking head out, before starting something with anyone else. Know where you stand in your life and be decisive in choosing the road to take. Don’t do stupid things, like fly into Town on a whim to surprise a woman you fancy, just because you want to run from the problems you’re having with another woman. That is not the way to explore a healthy relationship. It is not fair to any of the parties involved. And never, _ever_ again refer to me as an inconvenience and a problem, and that goes for the both of you, you _arseholes_. I’m **_worth_** a whole of a lot more than that!...  You two can just take those ideas on media exposure and shove them where the sun doesn’t shine. As of right now, I’m done being interested in any of it. Goodbye.’ 

She slipped past a dumb struck Luke and pulled open the heavy fire door, revealing a guilty looking Bob on the other side. She grunted at him in irritation.

‘Eavesdropping are we? Well, maybe you can talk some manners into these guys, on how to treat a person with some fucking _respect and consideration_.’ She fumed, a tear escaping the corner of her eye. She rubbed it away with the back of her hand, in an angry gesture. She then resolutely strode back into the club, disappearing in the throng of people, leaving three stunned men in her wake.

 

Tom sat down on the stairs with a groan and pushed the palms of his hands to his eyes.

‘Fuck.’

Bob looked back at the spot where Ariel had disappeared between the writhing bodies of the people on the dance floor.

‘Wow, what a woman!’ He grinned. Then he dropped the smile and turned to the two men in the stairwell.

‘You two are a bunch of _twats_ , by the way. Isn't that what you Brits call it?’ He remarked, and stepped into the stairwell, the door closing behind him with a bang. He addressed Tom.   
’Do you have any idea how exceptional and precious that woman is? Especially in our world of glitter, glamour and fakery. A sharp and inquiring mind, combined with a no-nonsense attitude, mixed in with a sweet and caring character, a curiously fiery temperament with a protective streak a mile wide, and an iron willpower tempered in the forges of the hell she went through; all wrapped up in the package of a pint-sized, beautiful pixie. 

‘That woman,’ he pointed at the door Ariel had disappeared through, ‘is a survivor. If you ever wanted to find a woman who will be able to handle the demands and stress of your career and your fame and keep up with the subsequent semi-public life you lead without it going to her head, someone who will be able to keep you grounded, and who will have her own life and a successful career apart from yours, well, that was her. And you just let her walk out that door, you stupid prick!... If you think I’m going to let you screw up the best thing that’s ever happened to you, just because you’re too dense to see it, you better think again... I don't care if you just came out of a shit relationship, and I don't care if it makes you look like a man-whore or an over-all asshole when you take up with Pixie so soon after breaking up with that succubus, and you shouldn't care either, because we both know, the former, that was not a relationship, that was a parasite preying on a man who was blinded by his fame and high from flying on the corresponding ego boost. We both know there will be speculation and vicious gossip, no matter when you get yourself a new girlfriend. It’s a risk of the trade, so to speak.’ He leaned over, getting into Tom’s face, and poked his index finger into the front of Tom’s shoulder to give his words even more weight. ‘What I do care about is that you’re about to make the biggest fucking mistake of your life! Believe me, I know, I’ve been there.

'Take a leaf out of our pal Loki’s book. Go after what you want, acquire it by any means necessary and don’t give a fuck about anyone else’s opinion. Don't be a foolish, spineless oaf, by letting her walk out of your life without a fight, just because you’re afraid of what people will say about you. This is about _your_ happiness, about _her_ happiness and about both your _futures_. If you have to tear down a few pedestals, and maybe even a couple of castles, and slaughter a few white horses, to build things up from a solid foundation, so be it. At the end of the day, when the great puppet-show is over, and you go back home, all you have is yourself, and -if you’re lucky- that special someone to share the good and the bad with. And that is worth more than any overzealous admiration from fans, or so-called coveted awards from high and mighty institutions.

'Get off your fucking ass, Hiddleston! Go find our Pixie and beg her forgiveness. Crawl through the dust if you have to, but get her to forgive you for being such an ass and keep in mind that it’s not just your life that is about to go topsy-turvy… Now, go on and bring her back. We’ve got stuff to talk about, and she has every right to be here for that and every right to voice her opinion on what happens tonight and after, whatever it may be.’

Tom looked properly chastised after Bob’s outburst, carrying a contemplative countenance, but then he schooled his features into a determined expression and stood from his perch, squaring his shoulders.

‘You’re right, I’ll be right back.’ And with that he opened the door and walked away with long strides, leaving the other two men looking at each other with serious expressions.

‘You do know this will either end very good, or very bad.’Luke said, frowning at the older man. ‘It’s not how I would’ve chosen to approach the issue. There’s too many uncertainties this way. He’s better off when Ariel is voluntarily out of the picture for now. Less fall-out that way.’

‘Yup, I know how you would have only looked at Tom’s career, and the consequences for said career.’ Luke made a protesting sound, but Bob waved his hand dismissively and continued, ‘Which is what he pays you to do. It is what you do and it is what it is. I know you’re also friends, but to you his career comes first. I’ll not hold it against you... I, on the other hand, am also taking his happiness and mental stability into consideration. I know he lives for his job, loves the world of acting, and all that comes with it, but he’s burning himself out; lighting the candle from both ends, and having no-one to keep him balanced. He’s lonely and depressed when he’s not around people and he works around the clock just to escape those feelings. It’s not a recent thing either, I’ve been observing this behaviour of his for years.

'If you only take saving his reputation and his career into account and not his mental wellbeing, there is also only one way that is going to end. Either at the end of a rope or at the end of a bottle of whisky and a box of pills. But hey, at least he went down as an acting legend with a squeaky clean reputation, right?’ Sarcasm coloured his voice. ‘The way I see it, my alternative has a more desirable outcome. It can go two ways. He’ll come out on top, **_with her_** , career minimally damaged; or he will lose an awful lot and he’ll have to build it all up from scratch, again, but also,  ** _with her_**. See where I’m going with this? He’ll be alive and he’ll have something to live for other than his craft, no matter which way it goes.

'If they get the chance to build a solid relationship within the next few weeks or months, she won’t leave him if life gets hard. She didn't run away from, or ended her difficult pregnancies, even if everyone around her was begging her to, she didn't run away from the difficulty of getting her phd while mothering small children, and she didn't run away from the illness that took her late husband and devastated her and her family’s lives. She will fight and protect until the end, no matter what, it’s in her nature. And lets not lose sight of her needs. No matter how self-sufficient, confident and happy-go-lucky she seems, she is also a very lonely woman, who doesn't believe she deserves a relationship with -or even registers on the radar of- someone as loved and famous and talented as Tom.

'From what I understand, she hasn’t been interested in any romantic relationship after her husband died, not until she met Tom, and even now she is still fighting the attraction, she has no notion of how to handle it. In the past two years, she’s been living for her children and helping them to overcome their grief, while trying to keep the quickly sinking ship of her finances afloat. In that time she never allowed herself to follow her own dreams, always putting others first.

'What needs to happen now is that she lets go of that mind-set and accepts that it’s okay to fall in love again and that it’s not too far fetched that falling in love with Tom is completely acceptable, seeing that he is just as enamoured with her as she is with him. I think she deserves a bit of happiness in her life again and I think Tom will be able to give that to her. He is someone who will make sure she is, and stays, happy, even if it means that he’ll have to skip a project or two, and vice versa. They are both people who deeply care for their loved ones, people who are ambitious in their respective careers in the arts, and people who crave a stable home life -and are very protective of that life-, but also need the freedom to live their dreams through their art; and who will understand that better about the other than they do? I think they will be able to make it work in this crazy world we call show-biz... So, there you go.’ Bob was by now pacing back and forth in front of Luke, not being able to stand still for long while giving his impassioned speech.

Luke cleared his throat, visibly shaken by Bob’s assessment of the situation and of Tom’s mental state.

‘You really think it’s that bad? With Tom I mean.’

‘Yeah, he’s a freight train, heading for an abyss at full speed and we need to derail him now, otherwise it will be harder to pull him back and prevent him from going over the precipice later on. He’s not beyond help, but I urge you to get him to seek out some kind of therapy. A lot has happened in the past year and he needs help to process it, instead of pushing it all away through work and a full schedule, like he is doing now. Working through it will not be pretty, but it beats the alternative. Believe me, I’ve seen lots of shit happen to good people, because of fame and fortune, and the emptiness it brings, and I don’t want that to happen to Tom. Too many young people have been sacrificed on the altar of Hollywood because of it, and it doesn't need any more blood on its surface.’

Luke nodded in agreement with this statement.

‘I’ll talk to him about it.’

‘Good, _good_. Now, shall we come up with a few scenario’s and options before the lovebirds return?’

Luke smiled at the older man and they both sat down on the stairs to begin negotiations on how to handle the situation best.


	29. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damage control? What damage control?

**Chapter 28**

 

Ariel walked through the group of people on the dance floor, and headed toward the bar. Angrily, she brushed away another stray tear, from her cheek.  Urgh, how did that man get under her skin so fast? She’d only known him for a week, but it was like he had burrowed into her psyche and she couldn't get him out. All she thought about now, was him, it was fucking ridiculous!

She knew she’d been a bit short tempered just now, but she didn't take well to being brushed aside like that. Brian had done that sometimes, when they were at a business dinner and it had hurt every time. He’d then sort of apologise after they were home again, waving her objections away with an explanation that she wouldn't know what the men had been talking about anyway, as she didn't work in marketing, but it had always made her feel small; and as if she, as if her opinions, didn't matter. All that built up hurt had just come back tenfold tonight, and combined with the adrenaline and hormones blasting through her body, from the dancing and the kissing, well, it had been the spark to make the powder keg explode, so to say. And now she needed a drink, a strong one.

She gave the bartender her order, and turned around to look at the partying crowd, leaning against the bar while she waited for her drink. 

The very moment another tear rolled down her cheek -the fucking things just didn't stop rolling down... Fuckers- Elsa popped up next to her, all smiles and bubbly, tipsy happiness. Quickly, Ariel wiped the tear away, but she wasn't quick enough and the other woman’s smile disappeared and was replaced by an expression of concern. She laid a hand on Ariel’s arm and stooped a little to look her in the eye. They were almost the same height, but the extremely high heels Elsa was wearing, gave her a few inches on Ariel.

‘Ariel! What happened? Why are you crying? Where is Tom?’

Ariel’s eyes filled with more tears when she looked at Elsa. She just didn't seem to be able to stop them. Dammit.

‘Dios mio! What did that hombre estúpido do?!’ She growled, baring her teeth. She looked around, probably looking for Tom, frowning angrily.

Ariel just shook her head and tried to keep the tears at bay by breathing deeply. She felt a tap on her shoulder and she turned around. The bartender had brought her her four ordered shots. She didn't waste any time and downed all four in rapid succession, while Elsa looked on with wide eyes. 

‘Well, that must take the edge off, no?’ She said laconically, when Ariel was done coughing and gasping for air from the alcohol burn.

Ariel looked at Elsa’s intentionally passive face with the one raised eyebrow, and burst out in uncontrollable giggles. The woman was hilarious. 

But why couldn't she stop laughing? Elsa wasn't that hilarious. Oh god, why couldn't she stop? 

She looked at Elsa with a desperate look in her watering eyes.

Elsa sighed and wrapped her arms around the younger woman.

‘Oh, querida.’ She sighed, as Ariel’s giggles turned into sobs against her shoulder. ‘I know, I know. Men are always so, so… obstinado!’ She sounded positively incensed, and Ariel felt another giggle bubble up in between the sobs.

Suddenly she felt Elsa stiffen, the arms around her shoulders tightening their hold. Ariel felt her shake her head at someone. something was said, but Ariel couldn't make out the words. Then Elsa spoke, sounding mightily irritated.

‘Ugh, fine! You better not make her cry again, Culo! I am warning you. Te mutilaré!’

Grumbling under her breath, she let go of Ariel, rubbing her back one last time.

‘It will be alright, querida. I will be at the table upstairs if you need me.’ Then she stepped away and was immediately replaced by a tall, hard body that almost completely folded itself around Ariel, like a warm, safe shield.

Ariel felt a couple of long and strong arms slide around her, holding her close to a leanly muscled chest. She let her arms hang limply at her sides as small sobs and shivers still wracked her body.

‘I’m so sorry, Ariel.’ Tom said in her ear. ‘Will you please forgive me my inconsiderate words? Again... I seem to always pick the wrong things to say where you are concerned. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to exclude you from the discussion and I would never call you an inconvenience. I value your opinion and you have as much a say on how we proceed as I do. I only meant to describe the unfortunate situation we find ourselves in -which is completely my fault, by the way-. But that doesn't mean I’d want it any other way. If I did, you wouldn't be here and I would still be in Mallorca right now. I’m so sorry I hurt you. Please forgive me.’

Ariel didn’t react to him immediately, staying lax in his embrace. She was trying to sort out her emotions and get her body under control before she was going to look at him. She felt torn. It was all going so fast all of a sudden. Maybe too fast. She didn't know if this was normal for someone in his profession. She guessed it was, as he seemed to have no qualms with the speed of their developing feelings, but it certainly wasn't normal for her.

‘Please, Ariel.’ He whispered, sounding almost heartbroken. ‘Please?’ his arms tightened almost painfully around her in a desperate grip, pulling her completely flush with his body. _Jesus, the man has no grasp of personal boundaries_ , she absentmindedly thought as she felt every dip, plane and, ahem, bump. It almost made her smile. Almost. If only she wasn't feeling so exhausted.

‘I’m tired.’ She sighed, not even sure if Tom heard her until he pressed a kiss to her temple.

‘If you want, I’ll take you home.’ He said hesitantly, leaving the choice entirely up to her. He had owned up to his mistake and acknowledged that he understood that she was angry with him. There was no further pressure from him to get her to forgive him or to talk. 

It was this consideration of her feelings that made her decide to stay. She shook her head in answer and she felt him relax slightly.

Letting go of a shuddering breath, she wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning into him and hugging him back just as tightly as he had hugged her.

A pained grunt escaped his lips.

‘You’re a lot stronger than you look.’ He gasped.

She looked up at him, a crooked smile pulling on her lips as her eyelashes were still wet with teardrops.

‘And don't you dare forget it.’ She pinned him with a scathing look and he nodded, a bit subdued. Before he could straighten himself to his six-foot-two-inch-height, she pushed up and planted a soft kiss on his lips, causing his eyes to widen in awe before he demurely kissed her back and then proceeded to take her hand.

‘Come with me.’ He said, looking into her eyes with a relieved expression on his face. Then he turned around and pulled her through the crowd, back to the stairwell they’d recently vacated. Apparently they had unfinished business? 

She looked up at the broad shoulders of the man in front of her, who was making his way back to the door and suppressed a hysterical giggle. She clapped her hand over her mouth to muffle the sound. Wait, the music was thumping around them, there was no way that anyone would hear her laugh. This thought made her giggle again, dropping her hand from her face.

Shit, maybe those four shots weren’t the great idea she’d thought they would be, when she'd ordered and downed them. Combined with the champagne at dinner and the three shots she’d had earlier with Evans and Seb, she had probably reached her limit for the night. Better stop now, before she stumbled head first into complete dance-upon-the-bar-and-fall-on-your-face intoxication.

Tom pushed the door open and revealed Luke and Bob, who were apparently engaged in a very intense discussion. They looked so serious. _Ssssseriousssss._ Her brain supplied. Fuck… She was getting wasted, fast… Another giggle was stuck in her throat and she tried to breathe around it.  As she stepped into the stairwell behind Tom, she swayed a bit, and snickered at the sight of the two men talking, as she dropped herself down on the stairs next to Bob, throwing her left arm around his shoulders. He looked at her with raised eyebrows. She suddenly tipped her head to the right, widening her eyes maniacally, pulling her eyebrows up into sharp points, a malicious grin spreading on her face. She got right into his face while she licked her lips with a very quick flick of her tongue and smoothed her right hand over the side of her hair before poking her fingers into his left cheek and pulling it up so the corner of his mouth pulled up in a half smile. 

‘Why… so… Serious?…’ She rasped in a gravelly voice as she tipped her head toward her left shoulder in a birdlike movement, keeping continuous eye contact with her victim. Her eyes burning with a mad fever. Bob looked back with wide eyes.

She moved her eyes to look past Bob at a completely startled Luke and threw him an air kiss before she quickly glanced up at Tom, who seemed mesmerised by her antics. His eyes were narrowed, and burning with an intensely intrigued gaze. Her grin deepened and her eyes took on a new fire as she licked her lips again, this time a lot more sensual than before and then she bit her lower lip before slowly releasing it from her pearly white front teeth. Tom tilted his head and seemed to study her even more extensively, an answering grin starting on his lips. 

_Loki?… Heh... Cooooolll. Alcohol is nice, we should do this more often_ , her brain supplied helpfully. 

Quickly she flicked her eyes back to Bob, who was now looking at her with a shocked version of… respect? 

What was happening? Didn't they understand she was just yanking their chains? The hilarity of the scene struck her like a burst of lightning. This was all ridiculous. The whole night was ridiculous.

Ariel broke the awed silence in the stairwell by bursting into laughter.

‘Oh my god, if you could see your faces! It’s hi-la-ri-ous!’ she cried, throwing her head back, feeling highly entertained. She didn't know what had been in those shots, but she _had_ to get some more, later.

All three men seemed to be startled out of whatever had them captivated.  


‘Pixie, are you drunk?’ Bob asked, flabbergasted.

‘I might be.’ she giggled. Yup, definitely on her way to drunk. She always was a very giggly drunk. Otherwise she never giggled. Chuckle and snicker, definitely. Giggle, nope, not so much. Unless she was with Soph. They somehow giggled a lot when they were together.

‘But you were only gone for twenty minutes.’ 

‘Takes only seconds to down a couple of shots… Might have been more than a couple…’ she giggled… again. ‘Elsa is so funny.’ She added it as an afterthought, resting her head against the wall to her right as she yawned. What time was it anyway?

‘She sure is. Just like you.’ Bob patted her shoulder and glanced at both Luke and Tom. ‘I want it on the record that I discovered her if she ever goes into acting.’ He stated.

Ariel lifted her head, confused.

‘Whuh? Elsa is already an actress. Has been for a long time. I don’t think she’d take it well if you claim to have “discovered” her, Bubble Bob.’ She patted his shoulder comfortingly.

‘I didn’t mean Elsa. I meant you.’

She turned back to Bob; amused surprise twinkling in her eyes.  
‘Who, me? pshh, don't make me laugh. I couldn't act if my life depended on it.’ she waved a dismissive hand. Tom made a strangled sound and she glanced up at him in confusion. He looked positively constipated. She giggled at the exasperated expression on his face. Did he even know how comical he looked if he pulled a face like that?

‘My dear Pixie, anyone with the talent to go pure psychopath at the flip of a switch, without being one, and being a convincible psychopath at that, scaring the crap out of people, and then snap out of it again, like you just did, I’d hire them in a heartbeat.’ Bob said, crossing his heart with his right hand. ‘Cross my heart and all that shit…’

‘Well, I’m very flattered that you seem to think so, but I don’t wanna go into that business, so you’ll just have to hire someone else. And I’m drunk, I always channel Jokey when I’m drunk.’ She giggled manically to prove her point.

All three men stared at her again, all three with astonishment written all over their faces, like they couldn't believe what they were hearing, throwing each other looks that looked like they probably thought her to be nuts.

‘What?’ She said defensively. ‘I have a lot going on in my life at the moment. I’m an artist already, with commissions with deadlines... DEADLINES, people! I’m a single mum, of three teenage children -lots of work, that-; I’m going to be flying all over the globe to promote my art -courtesy of Prosper- and now I’m supposedly involved with the worlds most eligible bachelor, aka the internet’s boyfriend, who occasionally channels this creepy Asgardian dude. That last part is going to make me the most hated woman in the world, very soon, and I have no idea how I’m going to juggle all those interesting tidbits, with everything else that’s going on, but I’m gonna try anyway; and I’m not willing to drop any of it to pursue acting. so, basta.’ She shrugged dismissively, after making a chopping movement with her hand.

Bob sighed and shook his head, looking a bit sad.

‘All that raw talent. Wasted.’ He bemoaned.

‘Ha! That I am! Wasted!’ Ariel threw her hands in the air in her enthusiasm and started falling sideways from her perch on the stairs, sliding along the wall toward the floor. Tom caught her, just in time, and righted her again. ‘Oops, I think those shots just hit home.’ She snickered and patted one of Tom’s hands, which were still holding her upright by the shoulders.

‘Thanks for catching me, Loptr.’ 

‘Anytime, Sigyn. I know you’d do it for me’ 

A loopy smile shone on Ariel’s face.

‘I like you, Hveðrungr. You are a nice Jötunn.’

Tom smiled a wide, toothy smile.

‘And you are a nice ásynja, my Goddess.’  
  
Ariel tilted her head, becoming serious and a bit shy, and feeling more than a bit inebriated. Which is probably why she asked. Well, that and the high probability that no-one would understand what she was saying.  
‘Ønsker du å være min venn?’*

Tom laughed softly.

‘Why am I not surprised that you speak one of the Scandinavian languages? What did you say?’

Ariel snickered.

‘I thought you spoke all-tongue, Loptr. Shouldn't be so hard to understand me… But, of course, there’s always Google.’ She said cheekily, sticking her tongue out at him.

Tom threw his head back and laughed heartily, visibly relieved that she seemed to have forgiven him for his earlier foot-in-mouth remarks.

 

Luke looked between the two people, who were now, apparently, loosely cosplaying Norse myths. Everyone was going wacky tonight. Everyone but him. Oh, and now they’re kissing. Again. Great. Oh. Thank god, just a quick peck on the lips.

‘Jesus, fuck, there’s no separating them anymore, is there.’ He said to Bob, rubbing his hands over his face, trying to lower his stress levels. Something he seemed to be doing al lot lately. 

Bob looked smug.

‘Told you so.’ He singsonged.

 

Tom made sure Ariel stayed upright by herself and then stood straight.

‘So, what’s cooking in that brain of yours?’ He asked Luke.  
  
Luke sighed and shrugged.

‘Well, I think it’s best if I take you home within the next thirty minutes. You need to get a few hours of sleep, and then catch your flight back to Mallorca, tomorrow morning.’ Tom opened his mouth to protest, but was quickly silenced by a warning glare. Luke continued,   
‘If you could make sure Ariel gets home safe tonight?’ He said to Bob, who nodded.

‘Yup, no problem.’

‘Great. When are you free tomorrow, Tom?’

Tom rubbed his chin, narrowing his eyes in thought.

‘Um, It’s a late afternoon and early evening shoot, so I reckon I will be at my bungalow by ten tomorrow night.’

‘Alright. That’s at nine o’clock London time. What about you, Ariel? Are you available at nine pm tomorrow?’

 

Ariel frowned, thinking. Tomorrow. Sunday. Right. Hard to focus with all that alcohol in her system. If only she wasn't feeling so lightheaded. She was _so_ regretting those last shots.

‘Yeah, I should be. Avery will be in bed by eight thirty and I’ve nowhere else to be.’

‘Okay. Well, then I suggest we meet again tomorrow night, through Skype, at ten for Tom, and nine for us. We’ll discuss how we’re going to do this and what the most probable scenario’s are, of how things are going to play out with the press, and the fans, and all that hullaballoo.’

Ariel slowly nodded.

‘Um, can someone send me… um, a reminder on my phone? I’m not really storing any information right now…’ She rubbed her forehead with her fingers. Trying to remember where she’d left her clutch. Everything was a bit cloudy. ‘Has anyone seen my bag… I mean, clutch? It’s got my phone in it.’

‘Don’t worry, Pixie. I gave it to Hemsworth for safekeeping when he went back upstairs to our seats.’ Bob reassured her.

‘Okay, thanks, Bubble Bob.’ Ariel smiled and tried to stand up.

She wobbled a bit before falling back onto the stairs.

‘Oops. The floor moved. A hand, please.’ She reached out a hand to Tom, who took it, and gently pulled her to her feet. She stumbled into him and he hugged his arms around her.

‘Oh, this is nice. I could stay here forever.’ She sighed and leaned into his warmth.

 

Tom chuckled.

‘I think it’s time to get this woman home.’ He said to Bob.

Bob nodded. 

‘Yup. I’ve got a town car on standby, I’ll make sure she gets home safely. Just let me call my wife. Have to tell her to ignore the gossip rags tomorrow. Very probable I’ll be divorcing her and leaving her for a younger woman… For the umpteenth time.’

He fished his phone from his pocket and dialled. It took a few rings before the other side picked up.

‘Hi honey! How’s things?’

‘Yeah, the party is rockin’.’

‘Listen, I’ve met this really hot chick and I’m taking her home. Probably gonna cheat on you. Might even leave you for her. Just letting you know, so you won’t be surprised by the paps tomorrow.’

Luke and Tom looked at each other with wide eyes at the surreality of the conversation and Ariel was trying to contain her giggles by pressing her face into Tom’s chest.

 

‘Yes, of course. I’ll let the lawyers know.’ 

‘I promise I’ll never forget you. It’s been lovely, honey.’ 

‘Yes, you get everything. Wait, I do get visiting rights, right?’

‘Okay, I’ll put her on.’

‘Yeah, Love you too. Bye.’

 

He handed the phone to a grinning Ariel.

'She wants to talk to you.' 

‘Um, hello?’ Ariel snickered.

‘So, you’re the chick?’

‘Yup, I’m the chick.’ 

‘Hello, chick, I’m Susan, the wife.’

Ariel burst out laughing.

‘Hello, Susan, I’m Pixie, and Bubble Bob wants to give me a ride.’

‘Ah, you’re the one he won’t shut up about. You have no idea how happy it made me to hear someone finally outsmarted him at his own game. I laughed for days! Thank you for that.’

‘No problem.’ Ariel chuckled. She liked the woman already.

‘So, how hot are you? On a scale from Antarctica to Hell?’

Ariel snorted in amusement. Susan didn't sugarcoat, apparently. Ariel decided to play with.

‘Girl, I’m blazing hot! Just watch the gossip sites tomorrow. All curves and cuteness. And I’m very tipsy at the moment. Might be leaning to all out drunk. Also, I’ve been snogged dizzy by a very tall and hot A-list superstar slash part-time Asgardian, you know, the one who dresses in all the black leather, which is so fucking hot by the way, so, I look properly debauched. You know how it is, makeup smudged, swollen lips, the works. Your hubby is gonna look soooooo badassssss with me on his arm.’ She giggled. 

Tom tightened his arm around her, and she heard him hiss something under his breath before he cleared his throat. Someone wasn't happy with the arrangements…

A loud screech was heard from the other side of the line and Ariel pulled the phone away from her ear a bit, looking at it like it was about to bite her. What the…

‘OHMIGOD! You scooped up _Hiddleston?!_ Wow, you are now officially my mostest favourite person in the world. I heard he broke up with the leech and I hoped it was true; my god, that was a bitch. I’m so happy she’s out of the picture!’

Ah, that explained the banshee cry.

‘Um, yeah, well, we’re in a bit of a negotiations and strategy phase right now. Can’t be seen together, yet, and all that shit. It’s all a bit hush hush. So your hubby has graciously accepted the role of proxy.’

‘Ah yes, the romantic PR-phase of the relationship. I remember it well… It’s shit... Well, you have yourself an awesome time with your Bubble Bob, then. And have fun riding the Hiddles-train.’

Did the woman even know how hard it was for Ariel to keep her composure in front of the men, when she said such things? Ugh, who was she kidding, of course she knew. Mrs Downey indeed.

‘Thanks, Susan, I will. Bye.’

She handed the phone back to Bob and leaned into Tom again. She was feeling increasingly tired. It had been quite a night with it’s ups and downs and all she wanted right now was to burrow into her bed and sleep.

Bob quickly said goodbye to his wife, and the four of them made their way up to the lounge floor by way of the emergency stairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * do you want to be my boyfriend? (I totally threw that into Google translate. Don't know any Norse. So if it's wrong, I'm sorry)


	30. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Strategising is key.

**Chapter 29**

 

When they approached the seats they had previously occupied, they found Evans and Hemsworth in deep conversation, nursing a couple of beers, while Elsa and Sebastian were playing cards.

Elsa looked up, put down her hand of cards when she saw who were approaching, and scooted out of her seat. She made her way over to Ariel and hugged her.

‘How are you? Everything worked out, yes?

Ariel nodded and smiled, hugging her back.

The other woman looked her up and down appraisingly and clucked her tongue.

‘Well, we can’t have you walking around looking like you half drowned in your own tears. Come on, I'll take you to the ladies’ room. We need to touch up our makeup.' She stated. 'And pee.’ she added, bluntly, as she pulled Ariel along towards the toilets. Ariel just went with it. She didn't think there had ever been anything on this earth that had been able to stop Elsa from doing something, once she'd made up her mind about it.  
  
In the ladies’ room, Elsa tutted at her, as she restored Ariel’s makeup to its former glory. No more raccoon eyes and smudged lipstick, and no more shiny nose and forehead. The woman could work wonders with just some powder and an eyeliner pencil.

When they returned to their table, ten minutes later, she assisted Ariel with putting on some of the lipgloss that was still in Ariel’s clutch.

‘As good as new.’ She said, obviously happy with her work. She smiled and then sat back down at the table, picking up her hand of cards again. She sent Sebastian a sharp look. 'I hope you did not peek at my hand while I was gone?' Sebastian's eyes widened at seeing her warning gaze, and he shook his head vehemently. Elsa hummed her approval and they resumed their game.

 

Tom grabbed Ariel's hand and pulled her into his lap. She felt a bit exposed with so many people being able to see their pda and squirmed slightly. 

‘You look lovely, darling.’ He said, smiling a small smile at her. 

‘Better than before at least. Why didn't you tell me I looked like a deranged raccoon?’ she joked, making her voice sound a bit indignant. Tom snickered and grinned his evil Loki smile. Ariel smacked his chest with her hand. ‘Oh, stop it, you!’ she chastised him.

Tom laughed softly before turning to Luke, his expression becoming serious once again.

‘Luke, I’ve thought about what you said, but I don’t want to hide anything. I want to be able to be seen with Ariel in public, without worrying about what the consequences may be if we’re found out. So if she agrees, I’ll be the one dropping her off at her home tonight.’

Luke frowned.

‘Tom…’ He began, clearly unhappy with this turn of events, but Tom interrupted him.

‘No, Luke, I’m sick and tired of hiding things, and being dishonest to everyone; that’s not who I am and it's not what I stand for. No more leading the press on a merry chase. If they ask, we will tell them that my relationship with Zoe has been over for almost three months, because that is the truth. We will tell them that I met Ariel almost two weeks ago, through mutual friends, and that I am happy with taking things slow, and seeing where this relationship will take us. Because that is the truth. You know what, put that in a press release, to be distributed tonight, or early tomorrow morning... And when Zoe is starting to show, we will tell the media about what has been discussed at our meetings; I didn't know she was pregnant before she told me, last week; no, we will not be getting together again; yes, I will take responsibility for the child. The end. That’s it.

'I don’t care if it will damage my reputation or my career, I just want to be able to look at myself in the mirror, and see my integrity once more intact; the same integrity that people have attributed to me, and have applauded me for, in the past. I want a clean slate, no matter how hard it will be on me, or my career.’

‘Wait! What now?’ Bob exclaimed, as all people at the table had fallen quiet, gaping at Tom.

‘Your ex is pregnant.’ Evans stated, eyes wide with surprise. ‘With your baby.’

‘Yes.’ Tom said.

‘Oh. Shit. Tell me you have fail safes in place.’ Bob pleaded.

‘Yes. I will have sole custody of my child, and the mother is giving up any and all claims. She signed a few days ago.’ Tom said solemnly, sadly smiling at Ariel and wrapping his arms tightly around her.

Ariel hugged him back and laid her head on his shoulder. She could feel tremors of tightly coiled muscles and nerves go through him. This was it for him. Sink or swim. No matter how much the public opinion mattered for his career, the opinion of his friends on his character was so much more important to him.

‘Well, shit.’ Evans said.

‘Seeing as there is absolutely no reaction from over half of this company, I reckon this news doesn't come as a surprise for all of us.’ Sebastian concluded, raising an eyebrow.  
  
‘Um, no, Luke knew almost directly from the beginning, because I needed his help, and I told Ariel last Sunday afternoon and Hemsworth that night. I assume he told Elsa. Which I told him he could.’  
  
Hemsworth nodded and put an arm around his wife, who had sat down beside him after finishing up her card game.

‘Sooooo, I won’t be having an extra-marital affair tonight?’ Bob asked.

‘Sorry, mate.’ Tom confirmed.

‘Damn… It’s always so much fun, riling up those paps.’

‘well, rest assured, you will have first row tickets to that show, if Ariel agrees to my plan.’ Tom said. Shifting his eyes to Ariel, he continued, ‘How do you feel about putting this, us, all out into the open? No hiding, no sneaking around and only honesty toward the world... I know I’m asking a lot, seeing as we’re not even officially together yet. It would be a very stressful, and hectic, beginning, but the sooner we get this over with, the sooner the balance will return to our lives, I think. What do you say? Are you willing to do this? Run the gauntlet with me?’

Ariel frowned. She shivered as she thought back to the different run-ins she’d had with the paps in the past few weeks. It had already been quite stressful, if she was honest, and she knew being with Tom would turn that up to a thousand fold. She’d be flayed by them if they weren't careful. It scared her, that an outside force would have such an impact on her private life, and, in continuation, also on the lives of her children. But she also had a feeling that if she bowed out of this opportunity to be with Tom, she’d regret it for the rest of her life. The paps would only be a small part of her life with this man, and she had a hunch that the pros would outweigh the cons, significantly. That said, she did find it hard to think straight under the current circumstances. Too much stress and too much alcohol would do that to a person. 

She looked up at Tom, who was still looking at her; the skin around his eyes tense, as he awaited her answer.

‘Um, well, I’m all for honesty. I like honesty. And I like you. Very much. So very much. I’d love to say that I want to see how we will work out, but, as I’m a bit intoxicated right now, I’m not in a right state of mind to make such a big decision.’ She saw Tom’s face fall, and she leant forward to press a light kiss on his lips. ‘So.’ She continued. ‘I’ll instead take the advice that the Press Veteran in our midst will give me.’ She turned to Bob. ‘What do you say, Bubble Bob? Is Tom’s plan a solid one? And how will this affect my children’s lives?’ She felt Tom relax slightly under her hand. She knew he’d expected her to decline.

‘Well, I have to say I agree with Tom on this. Keeping everything under wraps will only delay the inevitable, which can be much more damaging in the long run. Especially with a pregnancy in the mix. Keeping your kids out of the spotlight isn't going to be easy, but where there is a will, there is a way. I’ve had extensive experience on the subject and I’d say it’s doable. As for your own life being under scrutiny of the people; you ignore the bad and embrace the good and it will turn out fine. I say that you can trust Tom -and Luke- to know the ins and outs of celebrity life by now and look to them for guidance; although it won’t be easy for either of you, I think putting everything out into the open will benefit everyone in this endeavour in the long run. So, I’d say, go for it, Pixie.’

Ariel looked at Tom and smiled.

‘In that case, I’d say, in for a penny, in for a pound. Even though I’m still reeling from how fast everything is evolving.’ 

Tom tightened his arms around her and smiled, visibly relieved.

‘Thank you, darling.’ He kissed her temple.

Evans chuckled at Ariel’s remark.

‘Yeah, our lives are very strange in that respect. Because of the many different projects we work on, we’re not in the same place for long and because we’re under constant surveillance by the press, our relationships develop themselves in quite different ways to what most people would consider “normal”. It’s exhilarating most of the time, but, also, if a prospective significant other can’t handle the pressure, it can blow up in your face. And of course you always have to be aware of the gold diggers. Sucks sometimes.’ He sighed.

Seb nodded, agreeing with his friend.

‘Been there, done that. Got the T-shirt… Yada yada yada…’ He grumbled.

Luke pulled a chair up to Tom and Ariel, sat down and looked at her earnestly.

‘You do have to understand that things can get scary, especially with the freakily fanatic side of Tom’s fanbase. There are a lot of very obsessive fans out there, who will not like it that “their man” is getting involved with a woman other than them. Especially since, for the public, he has only broken up with his last girlfriend a week ago. I’ve seen the reactions to him being single again in the past week, and the fandom has been celebrating with an almost frenetic giddiness. They feel that as long Tom is single, they stand a chance in winning his affections. No one else is good enough for him. It’s weird, but that’s how their minds work. I know Zoe and her fanbase received a lot of hate from “Hiddlestoners” -as they call themselves- when he started dating her, so I think you can expect the same... Know that I will be there for you to steer you through, but also understand that I can’t be there all the time, and that Tom won’t be there either, for at least the coming few weeks, due to his filming contracts.’

Ariel nodded, a serious expression on her face. She tried to memorise all that Luke told her, but her head was still quite fuzzy.

‘As for you two leaving together. There were a lot of fans outside the club when I went in, waiting to get a glimpse of their Marvel heroes. Also, lots of photographers. Word travels fast apparently. I suggest that when you want to leave, you all leave together in a big group, so not all attention goes to the two of you.’ He addressed the others in their group. ‘I think it’s a good thing to show that Ariel has been completely accepted into your midst. Act just as silly with her as you would do with each other. Elsa, maybe you could take her under your wing if the men choose to handle a few press questions. I think it’s not a good idea if she talks to the press in her present tipsy state.’

‘Of course.’ Elsa nodded and Ariel breathed a sigh of relief. She'd found talking to the press a very stressful experience, when she’d had her interview outside Sophie and Ben’s house. She was not eager to repeat it tonight.

‘Great. Do I have everybody on the same page?’

There were nods and agreeing hums all around.

Hemsworth spoke up.

‘I don’t know about you, but the missus and I are gonna be heading home soon. Our babysitter has to be home by one, and the babies will be awake by six, so we’d like to get a few zees in before they’re bouncing around again.’

Tom smiled at his friend.

‘You’re right, I have a flight at seven thirty and I have to be on set by noon, so, I think it’s time to get this woman safely home and then hopefully sleep a few hours. My alarm is set for four forty-five. Hopefully I’ll get some additional shut-eye on the plane.

Ariel looked up at Tom with wide eyes.

‘Dude, you are nuts.’ She exclaimed, shocked at the tight schedule he was on. 

Tom grinned his Loki grin at her, the skin around his eyes crinkling.

‘You sound so surprised. You shouldn't be so surprised, Sigyn. Don’t you know who you are dealing with?’ He playfully purred in his Asgardian accent. Ariel heard Hemsworth’s deep chuckle from across the table, followed by an oomph. Elsa had elbowed her husband in the side, in a bid to quiet him when he'd opened his mouth to comment.

She shook her head, speechless and flummoxed by the sudden understanding of how much effort and energy he’d put into being here tonight. No-one had ever done such a thing, just to see her. It was humbling.

Evans broke the silence.

‘Well, looks like we’re all supposed to be up relatively early tomorrow, some of us earlier than others, so I suggest we get our butts moving and see if we can commandeer a few rides to take us to our respective beds.’ He clapped his hands and stood up. The others following his example.  _Captain America till the end, leading the way, even in real life,_ Ariel snickered to herself. 

Ariel slid off of Tom’s lap and stood on legs that were a bit wobbly. If it was from the alcohol in her system, or from the knowledge that she’d be facing a crowd of frantic people within the next few minutes, she didn't know. Probably a bit of both. She breathed deeply to calm her fluttering heart and steady her nerves.

Tom stood and draped his arm around her shoulders.

‘You ready for this? I know it’s not what you had in mind, and a bit soon, but…’ He shrugged helplessly, clearly concerned for her, as he steered her towards the cloakroom to pick up her jacket. Ariel accepted her clutch from Elsa and nodded at him, once again taking a deep, steading breath.

‘Yup. As ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.’ She opened her clutch and took out the coat receipt. Handing it to the coat lady, she smiled up at him.

‘How the fuck is this my life?’ She asked in an astonished tone, shaking her head in disbelief.

‘You know, I ask myself the same thing. All. the. time. I don't think I’ll ever get used to it.’ He chuckled.

As she pulled on her jacket and draped the scarf around her neck, Tom took a step back to look at her.

‘Wow, that is one cool jacket. You look fantastic in it!’ 

‘Thanks! I saw it online and I just fell in love with it. It’s served me well in the past few days when it was a bit colder.’ She glowed from the compliment and felt a bit more at ease. 

_Wait a minute_. Was he trying to take her mind off of the tension she felt?

She quickly glanced up at him and took in his innocent expression. Too innocent. He looked down at her with a friendly close-lipped smile on his face and twinkling eyes. 

‘Oooh, I see what you did there!’ She smiled widely at him.

He raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

‘I have no idea what you’re talking about.’ He stated.

‘Right, of course you don’t. Distraction is key, isn't it, Hiddleston?’ She laughed at him, and his teeth became visible when his lips parted as his composure broke.

‘Anything to get you to relax a bit, darling. I could, of course, offer a few extended services for even more relaxation.’ He grinned widely now, wiggling his eyebrows, the tip of his tongue visible between his teeth.

Ariel groaned and hit his chest with the back of her hand in jest.

‘Don’t even go there, you evil man. We haven't even been on a real date yet, and I’d like to know a man a bit better before we start to navigate through the different stages of “relaxation” you’re hinting at.’ She raised an eyebrow at him as she hung the clutch across her body, by the strap, and then took his hand, weaving their fingers together. ‘That being said, I appreciate your attempt to relieve my stress a bit. You’re sweet.’ Smiling, she lifted herself up on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. Or his lower jaw, if one was trying to be precise. The man is tall, so sue her. She couldn't reach any higher.

‘You know, meeting in the middle wouldn't hurt, skyscraper.’ She mock complained, huffing a bit as she let go of his hand and put her hands on her hips.

‘I can’t help it that you’re vertically challenged, little Pixie.’ He teased, a slight blush colouring his cheekbones.

‘Are you blushing?’ She giggled. ‘Oh my, dear Tom is a bit shy about compliments.’

‘If they’re coming from the beautiful woman he happens to fancy, he is.’ He shot back, chuckling.

‘Oh, will you two stop? We’ve got work to do.’ Luke complained from behind them. He had been talking shop with Elsa, while her husband was getting their coats.

‘Shush, it’s sweet.’ Elsa lightly scolded him, winking at Ariel. Luke grumbled something about pigheaded clients, and moved to walk in front of them, towards the escalator that went up to street-level.

Ariel laughed lightly at his antics and accepted Tom’s proffered hand. He wove his fingers through hers and took a deep breath, inhaling through his nose and letting it escape slowly through his mouth again. She could see the tension in his shoulders and the strain around his eyes and it occurred to her that this was just as stressful for him as it was for her. He was just better at hiding it behind the charming veneer that had been cultivated by years of dealing with the press.

She squeezed his hand in silent support and when he looked at her in response, the lines around his eyes softened and the corners of his mouth pulled up.

‘We’re gonna be alright, okay?’ She said to him. ‘I’ve had more serious shit to deal with than this and I’m still here. We’ll brave this storm together. Together is always better than alone, believe me.’ She smiled sadly at him, remembering the past two and a half years that had been so hard on her and her family.

He pressed a quick kiss on her mouth.

‘Thank you, Darling.’ He said affectionately.

Bob clapped a hand on Tom’s shoulder. He, Sebastian and Evans had picked up their jackets and they joined the small group that was waiting to make their way upstairs.

‘Everybody ready? I suggest Evans and Seb go first, then Hemsworth, Elsa and Luke and then Tom, Pixie and me. That way the crowd will be properly distracted by all the beefy hunks by the time we pop up, and Luke can assess how to handle the press and fans that will be focussing on Tom and his “mystery brunette”.’ He chuckled at the last moniker, alluding to the gossip magazines’ popular naming of unknown women who were spotted with famous men.

Luke nodded, apparently not really amused by Bob’s attempt to lighten the mood. He looked very serious, being already in publicist mode.

‘Yes, that sounds good. When you're ready.’ He said to Seb and Evans.  
  
The two men nodded.

‘See ya on the flip side.’ Seb grinned at the others and jumped onto the escalator, immediately followed by Evans.

When they reached the street outside the venue, a roar went up. People started screaming and shouting and a strobe-light-like flashing started.

‘Ohmygod.’ Ariel breathed, and involuntarily took a step back; eyes wide as she looked up at the exit. How did she ever think she could do this? She’d never been good with crowds. Fuck.

This time it was Tom who squeezed her hand and pulled her to him.

‘It will be okay, darling. Just a quick hello, a few pictures and then we’re off. Luke has made sure we can reach his car easily and security will keep all the people at a distance. Try to have some fun with Elsa and ignore the press for now. Luke and I will handle them. Okay?’

She looked up at him like a deer in headlights and slowly nodded, taking in a few fast breaths.

‘Breathe, love.’ Tom chuckled, rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb. ‘You’ll be okay. Together, remember?’

‘Okay.’ She whispered and looked up at the exit again. 

Hemsworth, Elsa and Luke stepped onto the escalator and when they reached the top, Luke checked the surroundings and then gestured for the others to come up too.

‘Right, let’s go.’ Tom stepped onto the escalator, pulling Ariel with him and then tucking her into his side, arm around her shoulders, so they fit together on one step. 

Bob made up the rear of their party.

‘Just imagine them being in their underwear. Boxers or briefs? Knickers or thongs? Bra’s or no bra’s? Commando?’ He said quietly behind Ariel’s shoulder, as he leaned in to make himself heard ever the crowd.

Ariel snorted a laugh and looked back at him.

‘You are a dirty old man, Bubble Bob.’ She retorted, shaking her head in mock disapproval.

‘Atta girl!’ He grinned and winked at her. ‘Keep it light and have some fun. Don’t let them see your unwillingness to face them. Give them reason to love you, by being yourself; all five foot of lovely, foul mouthed, beautiful, witty you.’

Ariel frowned.

‘Hey! I’m five foot two, thank you very much!’

‘Whatever makes you happy, Pixie.’ He teased and avoided a finger-poke to the ribs by quickly stepping two steps back and down the escalator. ‘Whooo, better keep that temper in check, little girl!’ He giggled.

Ariel huffed at him in mock annoyance and blew a raspberry before turning back just in time to step off the escalator, a smile playing around her lips. 

Feeling the warmth and strength of Tom’s body pressed up against her side, reinforced her nerves; and the knowledge that this group of people that surrounded them would help them navigate the fans and the press, also helped. She wasn't alone in this.

Tom’s hand slipped from her shoulder to her waist and she automatically slid her lower arm behind his back, hooking her index-finger into one of the belt-loops on his trousers. Because of the way she was positioned she couldn't reach around his waist and by holding the belt-loop she wouldn't have to worry that her hand slipped down his bum and become the subject of a paparazzi photograph. She chuckled at the thought of what a field day the press would be having with such a faux pas. Especially so early in their… dating? courting? relationship? ugh… Whatever.

Tom smiled down at her, softly squeezing her waist.

‘What?’ He inquired, curious about why she was laughing.

‘Oh, just a funny thought.’ She said, smiling innocently, as if she hadn't just been thinking about his -admittedly delectable- derriere. 

Tom hummed sceptically.

‘Why do I have the feeling I’m missing something?’ 

Ariel snickered and opened her mouth to answer, but before she could get another word in, Luke appeared beside them.

‘Right, time to run the gauntlet. I’ve got two short interviews for you, Tom. If you want, you can stay beside him, Ariel, but if you’d rather stay at a distance, that’s okay, too. After talking to the press, Tom will take a few pics with fans. No autographs though, I saw a few of those autograph dealers out there.’

‘Autograph dealers?’ Ariel raised an eyebrow.

‘Yeah, those guys try to get as many of my autographs as they can and take advantage of the bustle and noise at events I attend by pretending I hadn't signed anything of theirs yet. They sell the autographed items for a lot of money. Always for their own gain, and I’m not having it anymore. They prey upon my fans and usually trick them out of a lot of money. It’s shameful.’ Tom looked incensed by the idea. ‘It’s something I give out for free and it should stay free and not be up for grabs by someone looking for a fast quid.’ He seemed quite adamant about it and Ariel could respect that. ‘I usually have someone with me to keep an eye on the crowd and intervene when such things occur.’

‘Yup, so, no autographs tonight, Tom, sorry about that.’ Luke said. ‘Well, let’s go.’ He shepherded Tom and Ariel to the outside of the club; having them walk out in tandem with Hemsworth, Elsa and Bob.


	31. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Press, Pictures and Fan-girls...

**Chapter 30**

 

The crowd got even louder when they stepped out, and the camera flashes were almost blinding to Ariel, to the point that all she could see were small black spots in her vision. She blinked furiously to get her eyes to focus again and kept her eyes on the cobblestones that gleamed in the street lanterns. There was a slight drizzle coming down from the sky and it made everything glisten wetly; everything outside was reflecting all the streetlights and camera flashes and making it hard for her to focus on anything in particular. It was a frightfully disconcerting experience. She was glad to have Tom as her anchor at her side.

After posing for pictures as a big group, where everyone was geeking out with each other and laughing at the others' antics, Ariel disentangled from Tom, while he stepped up to a few reporters who were shouting for his attention. She stayed at a safe distance from the crowd and chatted to Elsa, while Tom and the other men talked to the press -probably about the new Marvel movie they were shooting-.  She was well aware of the curious looks she was getting, and the pictures that were taken of her and Elsa. She stiffened a bit as it went on and on. Paps were shouting at them to look towards the cameras, and it was becoming a bit unnerving, all this forceful yelling. She even picked up a few lewd comments they hurled her way.

‘Stay calm, querida.’ Elsa put her right arm around Ariel’s shoulders and leaned into her to speak into her ear. ‘They will not stop doing that; the shouting and the mocking and the insulting questions and the trying to take a good picture, I mean. All you can do is ignore them and smile every now and then. I know it sucks, but it comes with the territory. Just face it head-on and it will be okay.’

Ariel looked at her and nodded in understanding. She took a deep breath and smiled at no-one in particular. She laid her right hand on the one that Elsa had placed on her shoulder, gripping it lightly and snuck her left arm around the older woman’s waist, spreading her left hand on her hip.

Elsa gazed at her in amusement, eyes twinkling. 

‘That’s a way to get those tongues wagging.’ She snorted.

Ariel grinned at her.

‘Well, our men seem to be otherwise occupied and us girls should stick together, don’t you think? May as well keep warm like this. And if we become the world’s most famous women, for leaving those hunks over there, and if then everyone will wonder what the hell is wrong with them, that their women ran away together, well, that’s just a bonus, right?’ She winked and wiggled her eyebrows comically.

Elsa threw her head back and belly-laughed at Ariel’s humorous comment.

‘Querida, you have a wicked sense of humour. Did anyone ever tell you that?’

‘You have _no_ idea.’ Ariel snickered as Elsa one upped her, and gave her a kiss on her cheek. Cameras flashed even faster and she slightly smirked at the press as Elsa used her thumb to wipe at the stain her lipstick left on Ariel’s cheek.

The crowds were bigger now, than they had been when Ariel had arrived earlier that evening, but it wasn’t nearly as crowded as the throng of people that turned up for premiers and other high profile events.  


The men called it quits with the press after about ten minutes -It hadn't been a planned press event anyway- and moved on to the group of fans who had congregated behind a line of barriers, which had been rapidly built by the club staff, when it became apparent that the Marvel party had attracted a bit more people than anticipated. 

There was some pulling and pushing going on, but, over all, the fans behaved quite respectfully.

Elsa and Ariel had changed their hugging position to holding hands, and moved with the men as they made their way down the line of people, so that they could make their move to get into the waiting cars at the same time as the others did.

As the two women were chatting, Ariel noticed a few young women, teenagers still, at the end of the barrier, near the cars, who were waving at her. They looked like they were trying to get her attention.

‘Miss! Yes! Miss Dekker!’ They started to shout and jump when they saw they had her attention.

What the… Ariel raised an eyebrow in surprise. She pointed a finger at herself.

‘Who? Me?’ She mouthed at them.

When they nodded enthusiastically, Elsa let go of her hand and gave her a small push in the direction of the girls. She looked back at her friend a bit helplessly, but Elsa shooed her forward.

‘Go on, they want to talk to you, so go talk to them.’ She said.

‘Um, okay.’ Ariel said hesitatingly, and turned toward the girls -they were about the age of her twins, she estimated-, walking over with more bravado than she felt.

‘Hello.’ She said, feeling a bit shy.

‘Are you her?’ One of the braver ones, a blonde, wearing a Loki shirt beneath a beaten up leather jacket, asked.

‘Am I who?’ 

‘Are you the artist that designed Loki’s outfit?’

‘Oh, um, why do you ask?’

‘We saw your pictures on RDJ’s Twitter and on Chris Evans’ and Chris Hemsworth’s Twitter. And Tom did a shout-out about your art. And they all retweeted you and then we all followed you.’ Another said. She had short, electric blue hair and nose and lip piercings. ‘We read on Tumblr that Loki’s clothes were designed from your artwork. Is that true? Did you really make Loki’s costume?’ She asked.

‘Um, well, I didn't _make_ the costume; the costume designers did that, but Loki’s clothing is indeed based on the art from the comics I collaborated on, with Stan Lee, a few years ago, yes.’ Ariel nodded and smiled politely.

The girls squealed, and their enthusiasm was very contagious. It made Ariel’s smile warmer and wider.

‘Thank you! Thank you, _so much_ , for dreaming up that outfit! It. Is. Awesome!’ The third of the girls, who hadn't spoken yet, exclaimed -she was a short brunette with a lovely smile-. The other girls nodded enthusiastically. 

Ariel laughed, thoroughly amused.

‘Well, um, you’re welcome.' She said, feeling flattered that they'd come forward to compliment her artwork.

 

‘Did you meet Chris and Tom when they were filming Thor?’ The third girl asked.

‘Well, aren't you all nosy.’ Ariel teased and laughed, loving the brash forwardness mixed with teenage naiveté the girls were displaying. ‘But, no, by the time those two came into the picture I wasn't involved in the movie making process anymore. I met Tom about ten days ago and I met Chris Hemsworth last Sunday, when he was having some drinks with Robert, Chris Evans and Sebastian.  Tom and I joined them, had a grand time, and it all lead to those hilarious pictures you saw online. I still can’t believe they became my friends; I mean, I used to geek out about the Marvel movies and now I know the Avengers.’ She disclosed, chuckling, discovering that while she was talking to the girls, Luke had joined her and was listening in at what she was saying. As he hadn't yet interrupted her, she probably wasn’t disclosing any sensitive information.

‘Will you take a picture with us?’ The blonde asked, holding out her phone, already set to the camera setting.

‘Yeah, sure.’ She took the phone and handed it to Luke. ‘Luke, can you take the pic? That way they will all be in it.’ 

‘Of course.’ Luke politely replied. He took a few steps back and aimed the phone at them.

‘Everybody say: LOKIIIIIIIII!’ Ariel yelled, as she leaned backwards against the barrier and, grinning, held up two thumbs.

‘LOKIIIIIIII!’ The girls yelled in tandem and Luke took four pictures in rapid succession. He handed the phone back to Ariel when he was done, and she took a few pictures with all three of them separately on their respective phones.

‘Oh my god, everyone will be so jealous when we put these on Tumblr! The woman who brought us Loki’s leather. We all love you to death for that.’ The blue haired girl said. 

Ariel grinned and shrugged a bit. 

‘Part of my job, I guess.’

‘May I ask you something?’ The brunette asked, shyly.

‘Of course, what is it you wanted to ask?’ Ariel acquiesced.

‘Don’t take this the wrong way, but are you dating Tom? We saw you come out with him, just now. I mean, it would be awesome if you were, but you’re not his usual type. I mean no offence, you’re very pretty and all, but you’re so normal. More of a geek, like us, and Tom’s girlfriends are always so…’ She hesitated.

‘Not like me?’ Ariel joked and the girl giggled.

‘Exactly.’ She sounded so relieved that Ariel had taken it in stride.

Next to Ariel, Luke snorted a laugh and tried to cover it up with a cough, holding a hand in front of his nose and mouth. She sent him an amused look and then turned back to the girls.

In front of her, three pairs of eyes grew wider than she had thought possible and mouths went slack as they looked at something just behind -and above- her left shoulder. She frowned at their sudden strange behaviour, but, looking at their expressions, she soon deduced what had happened.

‘He’s standing right behind me, isn't he?’ She stage-whispered at the girls. Three heads bobbed up and down in confirmation.

A strong arm slid around her waist and pulled her against a warm body.

‘Hello, Sigyn. Did you miss me?’ Tom kissed her temple, and looked from Ariel to the still flabbergasted girls in front of them. ‘What are we discussing?’ He inquired with a smile on his lips. 

Ariel slid her arm behind Tom’s back and hooked her finger back into the belt-loop. Handy things, those belt-loops.

‘They asked if we were dating.’

‘Oh, and what did you tell them?’ She could see that he watched her from the corner of his eyes.

‘Well, I was about to answer them, but then you came along and _broke them_.’ She threw her right hand into the air in mock annoyance, gesturing at the still silently staring girls. ‘Too bad, cause they were a lot of fun. And way more my crowd than some of the other attendees.’ She winked at them.

‘I’m sorry, Darling. I didn't mean to. It just happens sometimes.’ Tom said, sounding very contrite and Ariel shook her head at him. 

‘Not good enough. It’s just so annoying. Do you know how hard it is for a geek girl to find like minded sistahs in this world? And then you just go ahead and saunter into a perfectly good conversation and make them go duuhhhhhhhhh.’ She whined and Tom laughed at her. Not a chuckle, but a full blown belly laugh. She glared up at him, but couldn't hold a serious expression, and started grinning.

The easy banter between Tom and Ariel was what pulled the blue haired girl from her trance and she let out a loud, elated laugh.

‘Oh. My. God. This is… You guys… You are **_perfect_**! I _so_ ship you! Please, please, please tell me you’re dating!?’ She crossed her fingers in a dramatic fashion, making Tom chuckle.

Tom looked at Ariel, raising an eyebrow, silently asking if she was okay with having everything out in the open. It was one thing for him to tell the press without her being there, but another to admit it face to face to random strangers. Ariel nodded minutely, but she saw that he understood.

He turned back to the girls and nodded, grinning happily and pulling Ariel tighter against him.

‘Well, looks like you girls are the first ones of the general public to officially hear it. So, Yes. Yes, we’re dating. There you go, straight from the horse’s mouth.’

The blonde girl let out a shriek.

‘We need a ship-name! We need to claim a ship-name before the others do. What about Toriel? Or is that too much ‘the Hobbit’? Tomriel? Atom? Artom? Dekkerston? Hiddleker? Hiddekker? Shit. So many possibilities!” She gestured wildly with her hands as she went through the different conversions of their names. The blue haired girl weighed in with her ideas almost immediately.

The brunette shook her head in exasperation at the two other girls’ behaviour.

‘Don’t mind them. They mean well. They just get pulled into the fandom at random times and they can be a bit much at times.’ She said apologetically to Tom and Ariel. 

Ariel snickered.

‘It’s okay, they’re sweet.’ She said.

The brunette shook her friends by the shoulders.

‘Girls, I think Tom and Ariel are about to be swept away by Luke, so if you want a pic with Tom, you have to ask now.’ 

That did the trick. The two girls snapped out of their frenzy and all three of them handed Tom their phones one by one when he agreed to take a few selfies with them.

After a few more minutes of chatting, they said goodbye to the girls and rejoined their group.

Before Ariel knew it, they were saying goodbye to each other, everyone went to their respective cars. Hemsworth and Elsa in one car and Seb, Bob and Evans in another.

Ariel and Tom seated themselves in the backseat of Luke’s town car, while Luke slid behind the wheel and immediately started the engine and drove away from the throng of people, after the other two cars, making an undoubtedly illegal manoeuvre by rounding the island that divided the road in front of Stables Market and going northeast, instead of northwest, which was the direction towards home.

‘Hey, where are we going?’ Ariel asked, surprised, sitting up and looking out the window as they sped through a part of Camden she hadn't been to before. ‘We live just up the road; that’s the other way.’

‘We can’t go there directly. Traffic’s quite slow going up the hill, even at this time of night and a few of the more zealous fans could follow us home. So we’re circling around before going home. It’s for our own safety and it will preserve a bit of privacy.’ Tom explained as he took her hand in his and squeezed it gently.

Ariel looked at him, really took in his face, sharply assessing his features. He looked tired, but happy, and more relaxed than she remembered from when she saw him last. In the moving lights, which illuminated the inside of the car every few seconds, she saw a small smile appear around his lips. The shadows moving over his face as the car drove on, gave him an otherworldly look, and she was struck by the thought of how little she really knew about him, and how much she knew at the same time. 

Here, in this moment, all the different Toms she’d seen in interviews and movies, and the man she had come to know in the past week and a half, merged into one in her brain and then it hit her, like a sledgehammer.

‘I’m dating Tom Hiddleston.’ She said in wonder, eyes wide in astonishment. ‘I’m actually dating _the_ Tom Hiddleston.’ The hand that wasn't holding Tom’s, covered her mouth as she was having a bit of a miniature breakdown of shock and awe. ‘Fucking hell, how? How did that happen?’ She looked at him with shock on her face and there was a sliver of fear in her eyes. ‘You have all these _beautiful_ women, these _young_ women, falling at your feet. Why would you want to date me? Be with me? You’re so far out of my league I shouldn't even be able to be near you…’

Tom sat up, alarmed, from where he’d been reclining in the soft leather seat, and leaned toward her.

‘Hey, don't do that.’ He said softly, removing her hand from her face and bending over to look her in the eyes. She gazed back at him like a deer into headlights. ‘Don’t make me into something I’m not. Don’t look at me and see only the man whose public image has been carefully wrought for and by the media and the fans. I’m not entirely him… And, he’s not entirely me... I’m the Tom behind that… that mask. All those roles I play and those interviews I give, that is my job, and though I love what I do, it doesn’t define _all_ of me, it doesn't make me anyone else than the man you’ve already gotten to know.

'I’m just as flawed as anyone else in this world. You’ve seen my temper; you’ve experienced how I can go off at someone when I think they're threatening my family or my friends; you know how I sometimes put my foot in my mouth and say the stupidest things, without thinking, and without meaning to hurt or offend anyone, but I still do; you’ve seen how fucked up my life is at the moment. That is all real. This here…’ He laid his hands on her shoulders and shook her gently. ‘This is real; it’s not some fairytale and I’m not Prince Charming. I’m a man, made out of flesh and blood, who has been thrust into extraordinary circumstances, and I’m doing the best I can with what I’ve been given, but that doesn't mean I’m not like any other human being. Sometimes I get scared that I won’t be able to live up to the expectations people have of me, afraid that I will fall off their pedestal so hard, I’ll shatter... So, please, don’t put me on that pedestal; I don't want to be on that pedestal with you, I want to be just me, with you. I want to be with _you_. I see only _you_... And, please, don't freak out about me being out of your league, because that’s not true. If anything, you’re out of mine. _Beautiful, talented, lovely,_ Ariel.’ He caressed her cheek with his thumb as she stared mesmerised into his blue eyes. She was rendered speechless by his passionate words and the fierceness in his gaze.

Her whole body had filled up with emotion and a tear spilled over, making its way down her cheek.

‘That’s the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to me.’ She whispered and sniffled a little. The man really did have a way with words.  


‘Oh, darling, don’t cry.’ Tom wiped the tear away with his thumb and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips. She reacted immediately, kissing him back with fervour, her emotions running high, and it turned into something more potent as she pushed up against him and one of Tom’s hands cradled the back of her head and the other gripped her soft hip through her dress, pulling her closer. 

The sound of someone loudly clearing their throat at the front of the car broke through the mist of passion that had them both in its grip. Shit! She’d forgotten all about Luke. She rested her brow against Tom’s and tried to get her breathing under control. Tom groaned softly and then huffed out a breath of annoyance. A giggle escaped Ariel when he bodily picked her up and deposited her in her seat again, refastening first her seatbelt and then his own. Ariel looked down in surprise; she hadn't even noticed that he’d unlocked them. 

‘Please, don’t let my presence stop you from canoodling on the backseat of my car.’ Luke deadpanned; sounding so utterly unamused that in spite of just having been interrupted during a very lovely kiss, Tom barked out a laugh. Luke glared at his friend in the rearview mirror. ‘Really, Tom, a bit more decorum, please. You’ve only just started to date the lady, no need to go all caveman on her in the backseat of a car… _My car_ … On the first date… If you can even call it that.’ Luke lectured Tom with a frown on his face. ‘You know, you should have asked her out to dinner instead of crashing that Marvel party. Maybe you should have waited a little longer to do that too. It would have been a lot more low-key and you could have gently eased her into the PR rollercoaster that is 'being-Tom-Hiddleston’s-girlfriend'. It would have been better; both for her sake and for yours, you know that, right?

'Now that you have thrown everything out into the open, she’s falling head first into your world without any warning or briefing on how to handle things; without having any idea of what she’s in for. She’s going to have to wing it. Especially now that you’ll be abroad for the next few weeks… And I won’t be available much, either. I’ve got more clients than just the two of you, you know.’

Tom looked contrite.

‘Sorry ‘bout that, mate.’

‘Don’t apologise to me; apologise to Ariel. She’s the one who is going to have to face most of the fallout of your actions.’

‘Shit.’ Tom groaned and pressed the heel of his hand against his brow.

‘Indeed.’ Luke agreed.

Ariel sighed as she interrupted their downer fest.

‘Well, I don’t know about you, but that’s not something I'm going to worry about tonight. And you both shouldn't either... I’m still a bit tipsy and I’m determined to ride this high all the way to my bed, thank-you-very-much! I’m leaving all the worrying for tomorrow. And even then I’m taking each day as it comes. I just roll like that.’ She grumbled. She was tired of strategising and analysing all the what-ifs of the night. No more. Her lovely bed was waiting for her and she was determined to enjoy it for the rest of the night and a good part of the morning. She was supposed to pick up Avery at the Cumberbatch residence after lunch -which, she suspected, would be her breakfast-, so she had the whole morning to herself. Lovely.

Both men fell silent as she watched the world fly by. Tom’s hand crept back into hers, and she smiled softly while she kept her eyes on the houses outside her window, giving his fingers a squeeze.

She started to recognise the streets and before she knew it, Luke started to turn the car onto her street toward her house.


	32. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Improvise, improvise, improvise...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT NOTICE:
> 
> This is the last chapter I have all written out, the rest of the story is still in my head. So, from now on, the updates will slow down a bit. Sorry about that. I'm still working on this story, so don't be afraid that I'm abandoning it, because I can assure you, I'm not. It's been two years in the making, and I've got a lot more things lined up for Tom and Ariel.
> 
> I hope you are all still enjoying the ride. :)
> 
> I've also got a few other stories that I'm working on. Some of them are about Tom, and others are about other actors. They're ranging in word count from about 2500 words, to up to over 50000 words (yes, another NaNoWriMo project ;P ).
> 
> Would anyone be interested in reading those, too? 
> 
> Let me know in the comments.
> 
> Cheers! :)

**Chapter 31**

 

Suddenly, Luke barked out a loud expletive, braking quickly, causing the car to swerve as he pulled on the steering wheel.  Ariel grabbed the car door to steady herself when he accelerated again and turned right, up the hill, instead of left, where her house was. She was almost being thrown across the car.

‘What the fuck?’ She wondered out loud, and looked back at the street in front of her house. 

It was swarming with paparazzi. _Is that a news van!? At this time of night? Jesus… They really are hungry for a story…_ Disbelief flooded her system. How was this her life, now? The media was camped out on _her_ doorstep. She was grateful that none of her children were in the house at present. Otherwise there was no way that she would have allowed Luke to steer this car away from her home.

‘This is what I was afraid of. I’m going to drive to Tom’s; see if the press figured out that he’s sleeping at home tonight, instead of immediately flying back to Mallorca.’ Luke sighed tiredly. ‘I’m afraid you can’t go home tonight, Ariel, I’m sorry.’ he said, as he drove further up the street and, at the end, turned a corner, out of sight of the paps.

‘Aw, man…’ Ariel sighed, disappointed that she wouldn't be getting sleep any time soon. ‘I don't think Ben and Sophie are still awake. You think they’d be angry if I called and asked for a place to sleep?’

‘Ariel, you can stay at mine.’ Tom said immediately. ‘If you want.’ He added a little more hesitantly when she quirked a brow at him. She wasn't so sure if that would be a good idea. Not with how whacked her emotions were at this moment. Or with the alcohol that was still in her system. She wasn't really in a good mindset to make a well informed decision. But other than waking her friends at this ungodly hour of the night, she didn't think she had much choice... Would Luke be so inclined to put her up? Or would that fuck up their working relationship? It wasn't like he hadn't seen her in one of the low points in her life before. It'd be fine. Right?

‘Yes, because that is a fucking  _fantastic_ idea.’ Luke said with a big dose of sarcasm. Ariel snapped out of her reflective mood at this remark, and for a moment, she thought he was commenting on her musings. Had she spoken out loud? ‘Not like we’re new to shocking the world tonight, or in the past few days, even. Right, Tom?’ He sped through the quiet neighbourhood, probably trying to get as much distance between them and the press, as fast as possible, while grumbling unintelligibly under his breath.

Ah, Luke had been answering Tom's proposal, not hers. A snicker almost escaped her at realising her own folly. She really should pay more attention to what was being said, as it also affected her.

‘No, no, think on it for a minute, Luke. The press will be camped outside both our houses in the morning, no matter if we spend the night together in the same house or not. Tomorrow morning, Ariel can go and pick up Avery at Ben and Sophie’s by crossing through our gardens and she won’t be seen leaving my house. She can leave through their front door if she wants. I’ll leave for the airport in the early morning and it will seem like I went home alone and you dropped Ariel off at Ben’s. 

'While I’m away, Ariel can use my house as a base, for as long as the paps are laying siege to her house. I’ll give her the key to both the front door and the back door. I have enough guest rooms to accommodate her and her daughter; and even her sons, should it be necessary... I leave in a few hours anyway, so in the coming weeks, I won’t be accidentally spotted leaving my house by overzealous paps who decide to roam the neighbourhood. They will stop surveying my house as soon as they see I've left, and there is no girlfriend in sight.’ He became more and more enthusiastic as he explained his reasoning.

‘Oh, no.’ Ariel objected, nerves exploding in her tummy. ‘I don't want to be a bother. I can't possibly accept such a generous offer. I mean, I know we agreed on the dating and all, but that’s your _house_ , your freaking _sanctuary_ from the absolutely bonkers world you live in. I can’t just march in and out when I feel like it, especially if you’re not there. Not until we’re a bit better acquainted, at least.’ She felt very shy and uncomfortable, her cheeks blazing hot in embarrassment.

‘Don’t be ridiculous. I’m to blame for the predicament you're in. I want to make it up to you, in any way I can, and if that is achieved by giving you and your daughter access to my house, then so be it. And, anyway, it’s too late to turn back now.’ Tom said triumphantly as he pulled his phone out of his pocket, unlocked it and entered a code. In front of the car a tall fence slid open and revealed a spacious courtyard in front of a big, detached house. There was parking space for two cars in the courtyard. One was already occupied by a gorgeous Jag and Luke parked his car in the space next to it. Apparently the paps hadn't gotten around to crowding Tom’s house, yet.  
  
Tom jumped out of the car and jogged around the back to open the door on Ariel’s side. He held out a hand and she took it after a slight hesitation, still flustered by his offer.  As she was being pulled towards the front door by a very bouncy and excited man, she saw the gate slide shut again. _No easy way out then…_ She half joked to herself.

She was very tempted to make a run for it, right now. If it was only because she felt completely out of place. She wasn't really used to having her life taken over like this anymore, and she felt a bit trapped. In the past three years she’d always been the one making the decisions, and taking care of everyone else, and she'd found she liked it that way, having sole ownership over her life.  
It was a strange and alien feeling, to suddenly have someone take it upon themselves to care for her and help her, now that she needed a hand, or a place to stay, in this case. It made her feel quite uncomfortable if she was completely honest. She wasn't used to depending on anyone else, anymore. 

Thinking about how she had known Tom for just over a week, didn't help either. He was a great kisser and all, and gods, he was freaking handsome, and also very kind, -if he wasn't making an arse of himself-, but was this really a good idea?  
On the other hand, these past few weeks were the first time in a very long three years that she'd felt happy again. She felt lighter somehow, like she could be herself again. Not to mention the enormous pull she felt toward Tom. 

Not one to sugarcoat things, she had to admit to herself, that a great deal of the happy giddiness she had been feeling all week, had something to do with the tall man who was now enthusiastically pulling her through the front door of his house. When he turned to her, he seemed to be vibrating with an exuberant energy, with a light shining from within, a smile just under the surface of his face, his lips twitching from restrained happiness. It was an energy she’d only seen in some of his movies that she had watched over the years, but she hadn't really experienced it in person, yet. 

In that moment she could see how he was able to captivate an audience, pulling them into the story he was telling, with his voice and his radiance and the intensity of his body language. It took her breath away.  In that instant she could see the brightness of his spirit, and it was almost as if the universe decided for her. Something inside her melted and another thing clicked in place, and she just knew. There was no more doubt inside her in that moment. She was in this for the long run, if he was, too.  She looked up at him with a serious, contemplative expression on her face as she was considering all this, and his face fell when he saw she wasn't as enthusiastic as he was. Whatever he saw in her gaze, he interpreted it as rejection.

‘You want to go.’ He said dejectedly, sounding resigned. He let go of her hand and pressed his lips together in a disappointed frown.

Quickly she made a grab for his hand, clasping it between both of hers and rubbing her fingers over his palm in a soothing motion. Well, it was meant to be a soothing motion, but going by the widening of his eyes, the parting of his lips and the shock that went through his arm, it was received as something else entirely. Oops… Someone had an erogenous zone...

‘I’m _not_ going _anywhere_.’ She said with such conviction, that his eyes, which had glazed over a bit not moments before, reclaimed their sharpness as he regarded the fierceness of her expression. 

A breath left his lungs with a loud whoosh as he dropped his head in relief and stepped forward to hug her with his whole body; almost folding himself entirely around her in a tight embrace. Geez, the man really knew how to hug.

‘Thank you.’ He breathed near her ear.

‘Need… air…’ Ariel gasped when he held her even tighter. Quickly, he released her, but he kept one of his arms around her shoulders as he smiled down at her.

‘Sorry.’ 

’S'okay’ She stepped back and took his hand in hers. ‘So… You said something about taking me to bed?… To abed… **_A_** bed!’ She quickly corrected herself. _Shit._

Tom smirked as she felt her face redden. 

‘Darling, you can have any bed in this house you want, even mine.’ He raised an eyebrow in challenge. 

Ugh, why was that so sexy?

‘I… Um…’ She stammered. Jesus, what was she? fifteen?!? _Get a grip, Ariel!_  


Someone cleared their throat behind her and she whirled around, grabbing onto any distraction she could.

‘Luke.’ She squeaked, her gaze flying up to his. He shook his head at them, like he was a disapproving parent, and sighed. She could see he'd resigned himself to Tom's proposition, to put up her in his house for the foreseeable future. He didn't look too happy about it, though. She was sure that he was already planning out strategies to minimise the damage this new relationship could do, to both of their professional reputations. _Poor Luke, his work is never done, is it?_ She Pondered. 

‘Well, I’m off.’ He said as he stood just inside the hallway. The front door was still open. ‘I haven't seen any paps yet, but they won’t be too far behind. Better close up for the night, mate.’ 

Tom let go of Ariel’s hand and stepped around her to shake his publicist’s hand. 

‘Thanks for looking out for us, Luke. I’ll let you out the gate.’ He turned to Ariel. ‘I won’t be a minute.’ Tom smiled at her and hopped down the front steps. 

As Tom made his way to the gate, Luke turned to Ariel and smiled a tired smile.

‘Starting tomorrow, I’ll be out of town for about a week, but if you need assistance, with the press, crazy fans, or anything else PR related, at all, you just call the office, and they’ll sort things out for you, okay?’  
  
Ariel nodded.

‘Okay.’ 

Luke sighed deeply and squeezed her shoulder, looking her in the eyes.

‘You know this is not going to be easy, right?’

‘Yup. But I have a feeling it will be worth it. And I’ve never been one to run away from difficulties.’ She smiled a crooked smile, revealing the dimples in her cheeks. 

‘Good… Well, good night then and I’ll see you sometime after next weekend. We need to sort out the whole SDCC trip and get you up to speed with all the press wrangling. I’ll have my assistant call you to set a date and time.’

‘Sure, no problem. I’ll be there. And thanks again, Luke, for everything.’

He nodded solemnly and shook her hand before descending the steps to his car. Just before he reached it he turned around.

‘Do try to keep a low profile in the coming days. No picking fights with men twice your size. And don't look at any gossip sites or social media if you don't think you can handle the unavoidable backlash this whole relationship will undoubtedly bring up.’

‘Okay, will do.’ she called back and raised her hand in farewell.

Tom had opened the gate manually by the time Luke backed his car out of the parking space. He waved at the departing car and then proceeded to close the gate, locking it with an extra padlock and then walking to the pedestrian access gate and repeating the action.

‘Can’t be too careful after today’s events.’ He called out to her in a hushed voice.

She nodded and stepped back into the house, folding her arms in front of her, to guard against the cold. She shivered violently. She was tired and her body had trouble keeping a constant temperature because of it. The thin dress she was wearing wasn't helping either. Despite the jacket she was wearing over it, she was having trouble keeping warm.  
  
Tom hopped up the steps and entered the house, closing and locking the front door behind him. When he turned to her, his eyes narrowed as he sharply observed her shivering form.

‘Are you alright?’ He inquired.

‘Just a bit cold. I have trouble keeping my body temperature up when I’m tired. It’s okay, just point me to the closest shower.’ 

‘Of course. Let me help you with taking off your jacket and shoes and we’ll go upstairs.’

Ariel took off her jacket and handed it to Tom, who hung it in the hall closet, next to a plethora of his own jackets. She laughed softly as she leaned on the hall side table to unzip the side zips on her shoes. No way she was letting him help with taking off her shoes, she wasn't a child.

‘Wow, talk about jackets for every occasion. You could start a designer outlet shop with all those coats.’ She teased.

Tom laughed.

‘Yes, well, I get a lot of free stuff to try and most of it I send back, but when it’s a well made and well tailored coat… Let’s just say it’s a bit of a weakness of mine.’ 

He grinned at her as she toed off her shoes, hearing her sigh of relief, when she was finally able to place her feet flat on the floor again. The heels on the shoes weren't very high, but after a night of dancing, her feet were hurting from the unnatural stance they had been forced into.

After taking off his own shoes and placing them next to hers under the side table, he looked up at her and chuckled.

‘You’re even shorter than I remember.’

She mock growled at him and slapped his bicep in retaliation.

‘Ugh, will you stop. I know I’m vertically challenged. No need to emphasise it, you sky scraper!’  
  
A violent shiver coursed through her then, reminding her that she needed to warm up, fast. Tom observed her with a worried look on his face.

‘Are you sure you’re okay?’ He asked again, doubt in his voice.

‘Yup, I just need to warm up a bit. Usually a shower and then a good night’s sleep helps. Do you happen to have a hot water bottle? Those help too.’

Tom shook his head, frowning.

‘No, I don’t. I’m sorry.’ 

‘Ah well, a thick duvet will have to do then.’ She was already starting to accept that she wouldn't sleep much tonight, preparing herself for a few hours of shivering under the blankets.

‘Okay.’ Tom said. ‘Come with me.’ He took her hand and gently pulled her up the stairs and then to the right, to the back of the house. 

He entered a large bedroom, flicking on the lights as he went past the switch. She came to the conclusion that it was the master bedroom after seeing the opened carry-on suitcase on the ground in front of a large walk-in closet. She also saw a flash of a neatly made-up kingsize bed before he led her into a big en-suite bathroom with a jack and jill sink, a toilet, a large freestanding bath and a huge walk-in shower with a rain-shower overhead. The glass of the shower doors was completely transparent.

‘Wow.’ She breathed as she looked around, admiring the slate tiling and the luxury chrome fixtures and fittings. ‘This is what I call a bathroom.’

‘You go ahead and use this shower.’ He said as he opened the glass doors and turned on the water, adjusting a few fixtures on the wall to get the water at a pleasant temperature. It cascaded down from the big rain-shower over head, and it looked divine.

‘Um, might I bother you for a t-shirt and maybe some boxer shorts to borrow? I’m a bit short on sleep clothes at the moment.’ She blushed, feeling slightly uncomfortable at asking for another favour.

‘Ah, yes, of course. I’ll go find something for you. You just start, um, undoing your hair and take off your make-up. Towels and wash cloths are in the closet over there.’ He pointed at a pair of floor to ceiling cabinet doors. 'I will be right back.’

With shaking hands, she started to unravel her hairdo, silently cursing the tangles that snagged on her fingers as she tried to brush through it with her hands. She was shivering even more violently now and the warm wash cloth she used to wash her face felt heavenly on her hands and face. Quickly, she took out her contacts and left them on the side of the sink. She'd worry about how to get to her glasses -which were still at her own house- tomorrow. She blinked owlishly as she tried to force her eyes to focus.

Behind her, Tom entered the bathroom again, holding a small stack of clothes.

‘I got you the shirt and boxers, and a pair of sweatpants. I thought it might help keep you warm.’

She took the clothes from him, placed them on one of the sinks and then turned her back to him.

‘Thanks. Could you help me with the zipper? I can’t really reach it because of my stiff shoulder.’ 

The bathroom was silent for a moment, before she heard him clear his throat and mumble something under his breath. Then he cleared his throat again.

‘Sure.’ His voice sounded rough suddenly. 

She felt the warmth of him behind her as he stepped closer to help her unzip. His long fingers fumbled with the tiny zipper, trying to get it to work. He pulled down, but the zipper wouldn't budge. He only succeeded in pulling down the dress with it. Quickly Ariel grabbed the front of the dress before it fell down.  
With an annoyed grunt he slid the fingers of his left hand behind the low back, brushing his knuckles against the sensitive skin that lay over her spine. She shivered again. This time not from cold, but from an entirely different sensation. Goosebumps broke out on her arms.

‘Sorry.’ He apologised, apparently thinking she was feeling increasingly cold. ‘Almost done. Then you can go warm up in the shower.’ Holding the back collar taut he succeeded in pulling the zipper all the way down to the curve of her bum. ‘There you go.’ He said softly, trailing his hand down her spine.

She shivered again and turned halfway back to him, looking up at his face with a small smile. 

‘Thank you, Tom, I think I can take it from here.’ 

His gaze shot up to her face, from where he’d been looking at the exposed skin of her lower back, ablaze with something she wasn't ready to explore… Yet. He nodded slowly and took a step back, flashing her a quick and slightly mischievous smile. Not in the least apologetic about being caught staring. _Tease._

‘Right, of course, I’ll leave you to it. Holler if you need something.’ With that, he strode through the door and closed it behind him.

Ariel heaved a big sigh and dropped the dress. It slid down her curves and pooled on the floor. She stepped out of it, picked it up and hung it from a hook on the door, thinking back on the look Tom had just given her. _Sheesh, talk about smoulder_. If she wasn't feeling so cold, she’d be burning up from that stare.

She bodily shook herself and then shivered again. Right, time to shower. The glass doors were fogged up from the steam coming off the cascading warm water. 

Quickly she stripped off her underwear and stepped into the shower. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT NOTICE:
> 
> This is the last chapter I have all written out, the rest of the story is still in my head. So, from now on, the updates will slow down a bit. Sorry about that. I'm still working on this story, so don't be afraid that I'm abandoning it, because I can assure you, I'm not. It's been two years in the making, and I've got a lot more things lined up for Tom and Ariel.
> 
> I hope you are all still enjoying the ride. :)
> 
> I've also got a few other stories that I'm working on. Some of them are about Tom, and others are about other actors. They're ranging in word count from about 2500 words, to up to over 50000 words (yes, another NaNoWriMo project ;P ).
> 
> Would anyone be interested in reading those, too?
> 
> Let me know in the comments.
> 
> Cheers! :)


	33. Chapter 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Incorrect medical babble.
> 
> Also...
> 
> Cuddling is nice.
> 
> :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing.
> 
> I know nothing.
> 
> I make no money from this.
> 
> This is my Sandbox.

**Chapter 32**

 

After a quick, hot shower, which made her feel a bit better, she towelled dry and wrapped another towel around her head, keeping her hair from dripping cold water all over the place. Her shivering had lessened, although it hadn't completely subsided. She knew the only thing that would help now, was at least seven to eight hours of sleep.

Yawning, she picked up the black t-shirt Tom had provided and shook it out. She did a double take when she saw the print on the front.

‘You’ve got to be kidding me!’ She said, quite loudly. From the bedroom she heard a quickly smothered laugh. 

The shirt had a golden print on the front, that read, **_I wish this was Tom Hiddleston_** , With an arrow pointing to the left of the wearer.

  
‘Where the hell did you find this shirt?’ She called out, while she pulled it on. It was much too big for her, the hem ending a few inches above her knees and the short sleeves going all the way to her elbows, but it was just right around the chest and hip areas. It gave a bit of definition to her boobs and bum, but it wasn't too snug. Perfect to comfortably sleep in. 

A forceful cold shiver racked her body as she slipped on the boxers. Apparently, either the hot shower hadn't helped as much as she’d hoped, or she was cooling down faster than expected. The boxers were a tight fit, but they were stretchy, so luckily they didn't pinch anywhere.

As she was unfolding the sweats, she could hear Tom’s answer through the door.

‘I got it from a fan, a couple of months ago. It’s hilarious, isn't it? At least, when I’m wearing it, it is.’ He giggled, actually giggled, after producing that tidbit of information, and she shook her head in exasperation and softly snorted; what a dork. 

Sizing up the sweats by holding them straight out in front of her, she came to the conclusion that wearing the thing wouldn't be conductive to a good nights sleep. Not if she had to pull it up as high as her breasts, and waddle up the legs. It was way too long for her. Right, just the boxers and shirt then. She hoped the guest bed had a warm duvet. She was going to need it. Another shiver ran through her, as she towel dried her hair and brushed it out with the brush she found next to one of the sinks.

Too bad she couldn't find a hair dryer. It would have been much easier to warm up if her hair was dry. 

A knock sounded on the door.

‘Everything alright in there?’ Tom asked.

‘Yes, M’okay.’ She opened the door and stepped out, handing the sweats back to him. ‘I’m sorry, but these are never going to fit me. They belong on a giraffe.’ She deadpanned, while trying to keep her shivering under control. Oh great, the teeth chattering was back, too. She hated it when her body let her down. 

Apparently Tom had also showered, in a second bathroom, as his hair was still damp and he had changed into a grey t-shirt and black and red plaid pyjama bottoms. They looked almost new, which made her suspect that he was wearing them to keep her from feeling uncomfortable. Quite sweet, really, when she thought about it.

When she looked up at his face she saw he was studying her with narrowed eyes.

‘Jesus, Ari. You’re not okay. You're still shivering and your lips are turning blue. We need to get you to a doctor. Something is wrong.' He said with worried conviction.

He tossed the sweats she had given him into a corner of the room and grabbed her hand, pulling her further into the bedroom and towards the door. When he kept on walking toward the stairs she tried to pull him back.

'No, Tom, wait. Nothing is wrong.’ He half turned to her, a sceptical expression on his face. She backtracked a bit. ‘Well, not really anyway. I've had this before. There’s no need to take me to the doctor’s, they can't do anything. Believe me, they’ve tried. I just need to warm up and sleep. That's the only remedy.’

The shivers came every few seconds now and she was feeling so very cold. She had to admit that this was one of the worst episodes in years. It was also the first one she’d had since those very stressful and sleepless days and nights, right after Brian’s passing. She might have over exerted herself tonight, with all the dancing and not eating enough food to refuel the lost energy. Not to mention all the emotional turmoil and stress. Ah, yes, and the alcohol. Ugh, sometimes she was so stupid.

Tom’s voice pulled her out of her musings. He stooped over a bit and laid his hands, his big and blessedly warm hands, around her jaw, tenderly cradling her face.

‘Tell me what I can do to help you.’

Ariel sighed and shrugged weakly, giving him a wobbly smile.

‘Other than put me under a large amount of blankets, you can’t do much. It’s just too bad you don't have any hot water bottles.’

  
A thoughtful expression flitted over his face as he righted himself, dropping his hands from her face.

‘Hm, hot water bottles… Well, there might be something I can do, then. Come on.’ He walked back into the bedroom, his hand grasping hers again, pulling her along. 

Determinedly he strode to the left of the large bed -It a high headboard which was pushed up against the wall opposite to the walk-in closet and bathroom- and turned down the duvet.

‘In you go.’ The tone of his voice let her know that he wouldn't take no for an answer, so, she crawled into the cool bed without complaint, allowing him to tuck the duvet in around her. Shivering, she wondered how this would help her get warm. The bed was just this side of freezing, after standing unused in a cold bedroom for at least a week.

Tom made his way to the bathroom to turn the lights off and was back at the other side of the bed in seconds, taking off his shirt and sliding under the covers. He reached out his hand to the light switch next to the ben, and then the room was swallowed by darkness.

_Did he just take off his shirt?!_

Ariel’s eyes were large in the darkness, as she felt him scoot over to her side.

‘Uh, Tom, what are you doing?’ She asked in a slightly panicky tone, teeth chattering. 

‘Hush. I’m acting as your hot water bottle. We have to get you warmed up.’ 

‘Um… Okay?’ Ariel wasn’t sure how she felt about having him so close to her, half naked, in a bed, when they’d only started dating, officially, on this very night. 

But, as soon as she could feel the warmth beginning to seep back into her body, she concluded that this wasn’t one of the worst ideas one could have.

He put an arm around her, and pulled her tightly against him; positioning her so that her back was to his front, effectively spooning her with his large form. His left leg shifted between both of hers and pulled her feet against his shins. She laid her hands over his lower arms, which were wrapped around her shoulders and waist, and he gasped.

‘ _Fuck_ , you’re freezing.’  


‘Mmm, and you’re so very nice and warm.’ Ariel whispered contentedly, snuggling backwards, into the heat that radiated from his body. She could feel the shivering subsiding bit by bit.

They were both quiet for a time, both preoccupied with their own thoughts, until Tom spoke.

‘So, are you inclined to tell me what’s going on?’ It was stated in a carefully neutral tone and Ariel understood that Tom didn't want to put any pressure on her right now, but was undoubtedly curious about what was happening.

She sighed and then gasped as another shiver ran through her.

‘Hmmm.’ She hummed and wove the fingers of her left hand through his. ‘It’s quite the story. And aren't you supposed to be sleeping?’

Tom chuckled.

‘I don’t think there’s going to be much sleep happening tonight. Too much going through my mind. I’ll sleep on the plane.’

‘Alright then.’ She acquiesced. ‘I told you about my difficult pregnancies and how the first one almost killed me.’

‘Yes.’

“well, it wasn't almost.’ She felt Tom stiffen behind her; his arms pulling her to him tighter.

‘What?’ He ground out, a shiver going through him this time.

‘I died on the operating table, when they were trying to save me and the boys by emergency c-section. Twice.’

‘You _died_? Fuck.’ Tom breathed. He pulled her even closer to him. Or tried to, anyway. ‘What happened?’

‘My body couldn't handle the simultaneous stress of the preeclampsia and the c-section. Combined with the anaesthetic, it caused me to go into cardiac arrest. The operating team performed manual CPR for ten minutes to keep my heart pumping and my blood flowing, while the surgeons delivered my babies. They couldn't use electric shocks to restart my heart, because it would've hurt the twins. Thanks to the continuous flow of oxygen through the breathing tube I didn't suffer from oxygen deprivation. So I was very lucky. 

After the babies were out, they managed to restart my heart and close me up, leaving me with a neatly stitched tummy. They thought I was out of the woods, but, because of the high blood pressure, I started internally haemorrhaging and they had to open me up again to fix the damage -hence the lovely frayed scar bisecting my tummy. The loss of too much blood caused another cardiac arrest and this time they had a harder time getting me back. It took almost twenty minutes, and I suffered nerve damage. Most of it has healed over time, but every once in a while I get these episodes when my body just shuts down and refuses to keep my internal thermostat at the right temperature. My core temp drops significantly and I get hypothermic symptoms. It's weird, I know, but I'm just happy I'm still here.' 

‘Jesus Christ.’ Tom whispered. ‘What a nightmare that must have been.’

Ariel nodded, and sighed. Thinking back on those scary times, still left her reeling sometimes. 

‘It was touch and go a few times, but, eventually, I got better. And when the boys were ready to be released from hospital, so was I.’

Tom pressed a kiss on her temple.

‘I’m so glad you survived all that. The world would have been a lot less bright without you in it.’

‘Aw, thank you, Tom. Smooth bastard that you are.’ She snickered.

He laughed softly at her humour, his voice vibrating through her.

‘I do mean it, though.’ He tried to reassure her, and nuzzled her neck, just below her ear.

Another shiver went through her. _Not_ from the cold this time.

Tom must have felt it, too.

‘Are you still feeling as cold?’ He asked, worriedly.

Ariel hummed noncommittally.

‘Not necessarily.’ She could hardly suppress a groan when he tried to position her body even closer to his. He really had to stop doing that, she thought, starting to feel hot.

He fell still behind her, frozen, even holding his breath.

‘Oh.’ Was all he said when he started breathing again. Then, ‘I’m sorry.’

He made to let go of her, obviously trying to respect her boundaries regarding their physical relationship. Earlier had all been about warming her up, but now… Not so much.

Quickly, Ariel turned around in his arms, effectively halting his retreat by letting her hands slide up to his shoulders.

‘It’s okay, Tom.’ She said. She could hardly make out his outline in the darkness of the room; especially now that she didn’t have her contacts in. ‘The fact that I want to take things slow… -ish… doesn’t mean that you’re not allowed to touch me, or hold me. Cuddling is encouraged.’ She pulled him back to her and pressed a soft kiss to his clavicle when he'd settled in next to her again.

This time, a shiver went through him, and he tightened his arms around her, his stubble scratching against her temple.

‘I’m totally up for some hardcore cuddling.’ He mumbled into her hair, his voice raspy.

Ariel snickered at his pun as she buried her face in the hollow of his throat.

‘I can feel that.’ She giggled, and wiggled her hips where he was pressed against her.

Tom groaned. His breath puffing against her ear.

‘I’m sure you can, little vixen. But if you don’t want to take this any further, then I suggest that you keep those lovely curves still,’ He gently placed a kiss on her lips. ‘and get yourself some much needed rest.’

Ariel sighed contentedly into another sweet kiss.

‘I could stay like this forever.’ She whispered and snuggled into him, closing her eyes.

‘Me, too, Love; me, too.’ Tom chuckled. ‘But, as it is, I have to be up in about three hours, so hush. I need my beauty sleep.’

Ariel snorted.

‘Like you need to get even prettier. I’m not sure the world would survive that.’

‘Shhh, that’s the whole point. World domination. Haven’t you been paying attention?’

A soft laugh escaped her as she felt her body grow heavier with sleep.

‘Sure, hon, g’night.’

Tom kissed the top of her head and yawned.

‘Good night, darling.’

After that, there was only silence, occasionally interrupted by soft snores.


	34. Chapter 33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oookay.
> 
> This is where the story earns its M rating... :D
> 
> If you don't like, don't read. You won't miss much, story wise.
> 
> I'm contemplating raising the rating for the entire story to Explicit. Whaddaya think, my darling readers? Should I? Hmmm?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here be smut.
> 
> I own nothing.
> 
> I make no money with this story.
> 
> This is my Sandbox. Only, after this slightly 'warm' chapter, the sand has probably turned to glass... Oh dear.

**Chapter 33**

 

The loud sound of the Jaws theme woke her roughly from her slumber. Ariel buried her head in her pillow and groaned. It was too early. Not enough sleep was had. Who the _fuck_ had that sound as their morning alarm?!

‘I’m going to kill that phone dead if you don’t turn it off.’ She grumbled, and pulled Tom’s pillow from under his head, only to pull it over her own as she tried to ignore the annoying tones the phone spewed forth.

Tom’s head thumped onto the mattress and he huffed out a breathy laugh as he turned off the alarm on his phone.

‘Someone’s got a bad case of the morning grumps.’ He singsonged, as he shuffled his body towards hers under the duvet, humming the Jaws theme under his breath. He wrapped his arms and legs around her and pulled her into his frame, moulding her back to his front. He plucked his pillow from her head and threw it across the room.

‘Hey!’ She growled, as she made a futile grab for the fluffy cushion. He halted her movement by pinning her arms to her sides and burying his face in her neck, blowing a raspberry just below her ear.

Ariel let out a shocked cry and then started to laugh involuntarily. It tickled so much that she squirmed to get out of his hold, but he was too strong and too relentless as he kept on blowing raspberries on her neck. He laughed softly between his attacks and pulled back a bit, before he took a deep breath to continue his torment.

Only, this time, he didn’t blow a raspberry. He gently nipped her neck and then pressed a kiss to the offended skin, sucking it lightly and then soothing his tongue over it. Ariel, who had expected him to keep teasing her with the vibrating raspberries, spasmed in her reaction to the sudden change of his approach. A shiver went through her and she couldn’t suppress a gasp. Instinctively, she pressed back into him, feeling his morning erection push against her soft curves.

He groaned against her neck and suddenly the lighthearted teasing had turned into something else. Something darkly seductive.

‘Shit. Ari.’ His voice was close to a growl as he flexed his hips, pushing his hardness into her soft hip, and fuck if the combination of his gravelly morning voice, and the feeling of his arousal being pressed against her, didn’t do anything for her. She felt a very violent clench between her legs and in her lower abdomen; a blazing heat spreading outwards from her core. She softly moaned at the sensation. It had been so long since she’d felt like this because of a man, that it took her by surprise.

Tom loosened his hold on her and caressed her sides in a soothing manner before allowing his hands to travel up her torso. Gently, he cupped her cloth covered breasts in his large hands; his thumbs caressing her nipples with the lightest of touches.

Another gasp tore from her throat, as she sensations of him rubbing her sensitive nipples, shot straight to her clit.

Tom’s breathing sped up against her neck as he felt her push back into him again and then slightly part her legs.

‘So responsive for me.’ He whispered into her ear, while he let one of his hands slide downwards, pulling up her t-shirt and then pushing under the elastic waistband of the boxer briefs, only halting when he cupped her sex. He grunted when he felt how wet she was. It sent shivers down her spine.

‘ _Fuck_ , Ariel. I need you.’ His voice was rough with desire as he pleaded. ‘Please, tell me that you want this? Want me?’ His body was very still behind her as he waited for her response. He didn’t even move the hand that was between her legs, or caress her breast with the thumb of his other hand. It was _so_ frustrating. She was lost in the sensations he’d elicited from her body and only nodded, covering the hand between her legs with hers, aiming to get some much needed friction.

She didn’t care anymore that she hadn’t known him for long, or that they had been on the brink of war only a week before.

All she knew was that her body, and her mind, wanted him, and _only_ him, badly. There had been no-one to share her body, or her life, with, for so long, that she was almost starved for his touch. She reached behind her and placed her other hand behind his neck, pulling him in for a kiss.

But he resisted and turned his head so he could look her in the eye.

‘No, Ariel. _Tell me_ you want this.’ A shiver wracked his body as he kept an iron hold on his self-restraint. She could feel the vibrations of his tensed muscles against her back.

Wetting her lips with her tongue, she nodded.

‘Yes.’ She whispered. ‘Please, Tom.’ Pressing his hand harder against her sex, she moaned. ‘Please, I need you.’

Tom’s breath left his body in a violent whoosh before he sucked it in again.

‘Oh, thank god.’ He breathed against her lips, before bringing up the hand that had been cupping her breast. He caressed her jaw as he kissed her passionately. It didn’t take long for him to deepen the kiss, taking advantage when her lips parted in a moan as he let two long fingers slip between her labia, rubbing up and down her slit, spreading the wetness he found there up to her clit. His tongue delved into her mouth in almost the same way, as it caressed her tongue and licked the roof of her mouth.

Ariel was lost in the pleasure he drew from her body. She was drowning in his open mouthed kisses and couldn’t focus on anything but the growing pressure between her legs. He was rubbing his fingers teasingly around her clit, not touching where she so desperately needed him, and then slipped them down to her vulva again, gently stroking her, but not entering the wet heat. She was shocked by the keening sounds that spilled forth from her throat. They were slightly dampened by Tom’s mouth and tongue, but still quite audible. She’d never been very vocal during sex and the needy sounds that her body was making now, felt almost scandalous in their loudness. She tensed slightly as she tried to cut them off by breathing heavily through her nose, while kissing him.

Tom was having none of that, though. He pulled his mouth away from their heated kiss and his gaze burned into hers, dark and powerful, and almost violently potent in its intensity.

‘No. I want to hear you. Let me hear you.’ He said. His timbre was so low and rough that she barely recognised his previously smooth voice.

He kept her head turned towards him with the hand that held her jaw, and her gaze caught with his, as he finally, _-oh god, finally-_ , let his slippery fingers slide up and over the bundle of nerves at the front of her vulva. A low, drawn out moan, forced its way out of her body as she parted her legs even wider, to allow his hand to move with more ease.

‘That’s it, darling. Let me hear your pleasure.’ He whispered, as he gently caressed the small pearl that, by now, no longer lay hidden inside its hood.

He let go of her jaw and slid his hand under her shirt, pulling it up and over her head in one movement; forcing her arms up. She helped him divest her of the t-shirt and then pulled the boxer briefs down her legs, until she couldn’t reach any further because of Tom’s hand that was still between her legs. She wiggled her legs and kicked the garment off, leaving her nude and vulnerable in Tom’s embrace.

‘So lovely.’ He whispered; rubbing his still clothed cock against the cheek of her now naked bum.

Ariel shivered and reached back, touching him through his pyjama trousers. He thrust into her hand and she felt how hard and big he was. A moan escaped her at feeling him so ready for her.

The hand that had been caressing her breast disappeared, and she felt him pull down his trousers and underwear in one quick movement, freeing his cock, and pushing it into her hand. So hot and hard, and soft as velvet. And definitely above average size. She started to caress him, wrapping her hand firmly around him. He groaned into her neck, flexing his hips to help her quicken the pace.

‘Fuck, yesss.’ He hissed, temporarily lost in his own pleasure.

Then he sighed and kissed her neck, pulling her hand away from him.

‘Easy, love. Don’t want this to be over too soon.’ Panting, he slid his hand between her legs and gently slipped a finger into her heat.

Ariel pushed her hips into his hand at the sudden invasion of her vagina by his long digit. He placed his thumb on her clit and started to rub slow circles, firing her nerves into overdrive. Her breath came in short gasps as he thrust his finger in and out of her. When he curled his finger into the spongy nerves on the inside of her vagina, applying pressure on the upward stroke, while still rubbing the bundle of nerves with his thumb, it was almost enough to make her come. She was already teetering on the edge of oblivion, and he’d barely even touched her.

A loud moan escaped her when he added another finger and thrust back into her cunt. She gasped from the pleasure he so easily milked from her body.

His hips thrust gently against her, rubbing his cock between her buttocks, while he fucked her with his fingers. His other hand caressing and squeezing her breasts; his thumb flicking over her nipples in time with the caresses on her clit.

‘Do you have any idea how warm, and soft, and wet, and tight you feel around my fingers? I can’t wait to feel that hot sheath around my cock.’ He roughly gritted next to her ear, making her shiver and keen with want, moving her hips in the same rhythm as his. ‘That’s it, love, help me prepare you for my big cock. Make you nice and slippery, so I can stretch your tight little cunt with ease.’

‘Fuuuck.’ She moaned, and she felt herself edge up to the brink of orgasm; starting to rhythmically clench around his fingers. She grunted in disappointment when she suddenly felt him pull his fingers out of her.

‘What?’ She whispered, confused and reeling from her now delayed orgasm.

He rubbed her side soothingly, and then pulled her back tightly to his front, holding her in place with one arm, which was wrapped around her torso. With the other, he lifted her leg, so he could easily access her from behind. Folding his body around hers, he pushed his penis between her labia, rubbing it in her slick wetness.

‘Ariel, love, do I need a condom?’ He suddenly asked.

Ariel had trouble focussing on anything but the big, hard cock that was now sliding back and forth between her slippery folds, the head rubbing against her clit every time he pushed forward, causing mini explosions of pleasure just inside of her vagina, pushing her to the edge of orgasm again.

‘Whah?’ 

‘Do I need a condom? I can assure you that I’m clean of any STDs, but I need to know if there’s any chance of a pregnancy.’

She blinked owlishly as she processed what he was saying.

‘Oh, um, no, I can’t have any more children. I was sterilised after Avery. And I’m clean, too. I haven’t been with anyone but my husband in the past twenty years.’ She suddenly had to swallow away tears when that thought struck her out of the blue, and she let out a shuddering breath.

Tom noticed her sudden change in demeanour and stilled his gentle thrusting. He sighed resignedly and pulled back, turning her around, so she was facing him, and gazed into her eyes searchingly.

‘Ariel, if you’re having second thoughts, it’s okay. You don’t have to go through with this. I’ll wait for you, until you’re ready. You know that, right?’

Ariel looked up at the tall man who was now hovering over her, with a concerned expression on his face.

‘What? No, I want this.’ She protested. ‘You’re not going to leave me hanging like this, are you?’ Her voice sounded slightly panicked, and a lot frustrated.

Above her, a dazzling smile appeared on Tom’s face. 

‘You have no idea how pleased I am to hear that.’ He said.

She pulled him down and wrapped her legs around his waist.

‘Yeah, yeah, I’m starting to think you’re all talk and no action.’ She grumbled as she rubbed her slick folds along his length. Oh, _god_ , that felt so good.

His gaze darkened at her challenge and he licked his lips, flashing his teeth at her.

‘I’ll show you action.’ He growled, and kissed her deeply as he lined up his cock with her soaking wet entrance. 

‘Yes, please.’ She whispered against his lips, tilting her hips, so he could push into her more easily.

A moan escaped her as he pressed forward, the head of his cock stretching her open in a way his fingers hadn’t. She gasped at how much he stretched her.

He groaned into her mouth when she involuntarily clenched around him, and then tore his mouth away from hers.

‘Fuck, you’re petite everywhere.’ He grunted; pushing further into her. ‘I’m gonna fill you up so good.’ His mouth found hers in another hot, wet kiss.

He pulled back and then thrust forward again, pushing firm and deep. Every time he pulled out and pushed in again, she thought she wouldn’t be able to take any more of him, but he proved her wrong by pushing even deeper than before.

A cry was wrenched from Ariel’s lips when he finally seated himself inside her completely; the slight pain and intense pleasure of finally having him inside her mixing into a heady cocktail of lust and desire. Tom was trembling above her from the restraint he’d put on himself. She realised he’d known that this wasn’t going to be easy on her and had tried to be as gentle as possible, exercising a self-control that took a toll on him, his muscles vibrating from the tension of suppressed instincts.

‘Oh, fuck, you feel so good.’ He groaned against her lips. Then he pulled back to look at her. ‘Are you alright?’ 

Ariel licked her lips and nodded, trying not to moan from the pleasure of being filled so completely. 

‘I’m fine. But, um, can you please move? I need you to…’ She gasped when he started to thrust steadily. ‘Oh, god, yes, just like that.’ 

He picked up speed as he buried himself inside her again and again. Ariel met him thrust for thrust and moaned out loud when he leaned down, took one of her nipples into his mouth, and suckled gently; pleasure shooting from her breasts straight down to where they were joined.

With a wet plop, he unlatched from her breast and sat up slightly, changing the angle of his thrusts. He now hit the bundle of nerves inside her on every inward thrust, causing pleasure to ricochet through her body as she lost all sense of time; her only focus on the feelings he elicited inside her. She looked up at him through the eyelashes of her heavily lidded eyes and took in the beauty that was his body. All that gorgeously lean muscle and sinew, now flexing and moving in a rocking motion; working him, and her, towards a common peak. She saw that his attention was fixed on the place where his cock slid in and out of her body, glistening with her juices. He bit his lip and moaned, his gaze traveling up to hers. When he saw that she was watching him, he placed his thumb on her clit, circling it with slow, lazy movements, bringing her to the brink of orgasm and keeping her there, suspended above the abyss.

Letting out a long moan, she started to caress and then pinch her nipples. 

‘Such a good girl.’ Tom gritted out, his gaze falling on her bouncing breasts as he upped the speed of his thrusts and increased the friction on her clit.

Ariel cried out from the overload of sensations she was experiencing. Tom laid out his body on top of hers while keeping pressure on her clit with his thumb.

His thrusts became more forceful and deep; his cock bumping almost painfully into her cervix, causing even more pressure to build inside her as the pain radiated into pleasure.

Tom nipped at her shoulder and neck as he panted next to her ear. The hand that wasn’t circling her clit, started to lightly pinch and roll her nipples between its fingers. 

Ariel bucked her hips erratically into his as she finally, _finally_ , started to come, keening sounds being wrenched from her lips.

‘Yesss, that’s it, come for me.’ He grunted into her ear as shivers wracked her body.

With a loud wail, she went over the edge, white hot pleasure exploding inside of her, starting from where Tom was now roughly thrusting into her, and then fanning out until there was nothing but convulsing, writhing bliss, filling her up completely.

From far away, she felt Tom’s thrusts falter before he sank his teeth into her shoulder, groaning loudly as he pushed as deep into her as he could go, and came, hard, in shuddering bursts. The heat that suddenly spread inside of her, combined with the pleasurable pain of Tom’s teeth gripping onto her shoulder, set her off again. A moan escaped Tom when he felt her tense up around him into another orgasm, her sheath milking him for all that he had.

Panting form exertion, they lay quietly for a time, Tom halfheartedly trying to keep his weight off of her, while pressing gentle kisses to her shoulder and her neck; soothing the warm heat that his bite had caused.

Ariel could feel his cock twitch inside of her, every few seconds. It was still firmly planted inside her body, and rubbed her in the most delicious way, as Tom moved his kisses from one side of her neck to the other.

It wasn’t long before his arms started to tremble, though, from keeping his weight suspended above her for such a length of time, and he was forced to roll to the side, pulling his cock out of her gently as he moved away. 

Ariel moaned softly at the sudden emptiness inside of her and instinctively rolled with him.

Tom pulled her into his body and snuggled up to her as he kissed her tenderly on the lips. 

‘Jesus. Fucking. Christ.’ He exclaimed in a quiet voice when he pulled back from the kiss and looked down at her.

Ariel chuckled softly and felt a blush rise up her chest and neck.

‘That’s one way to put it.’ She tilted her head as she pulled his face back to hers and kissed him deeply.

‘I’m never leaving this bed again.’ Tom’s heartfelt declaration was almost immediately rendered moot by the ringing of his phone.

He sighed and hid his face in Ariel’s hair.

‘Please tell me that that’s your phone.’ He groaned.

Ariel turned her face up to his and sent him a sad smile. With everything that had happened, she’d almost forgotten that he had somewhere to be, today, and in the coming weeks.

‘Sorry, hon, it’s yours.’ She shrugged helplessly.

Tom pressed another kiss to her lips and then sat up to grab his phone. He answered and had a very short conversation before ringing off.

‘Reality just butted very rudely into our lives again. The car that will take me to the airport is set to arrive in thirty minutes.’ He sounded slightly cross at this and threw his phone on the bed in a show of powerless frustration.

Ariel lifted an eyebrow at him.

‘So, time enough for a quick shower, yes?’ She asked with a laugh in her voice. She was determined to distract him from his sudden melancholic mood.

A mischievous grin appeared on his face as he contemplated her expression.

‘Definitely.’ He agreed as he picked a giggling Ariel up from the bed, and carried her to the bathroom in a fireman’s hold. 

 

 


	35. Chapter 34

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Female Friendship is Fierce.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in updates. I've been down for the count due to a very nasty flu. Which had me knocked out for almost two weeks. Urgh... 
> 
> But, without much further ado, here's a 3000 word update... :)
> 
> \--------------------
> 
> I own nothing but my OCs and this storyline.
> 
> I make no money from this story.
> 
> This is my Sandbox.

**Chapter 34**

 

(sunday 7 June, 2015. 11:37AM)

 

It was almost noon when Ariel found herself closing the backdoor to Tom’s house behind her. 

Half an hour earlier, she’d woken up from a deep slumber and had confusedly blinked while looking around the unfamiliar bedroom. Then, an excited thrill had gone through her as she remembered why she was there, and what had happened early that morning. After basking in the satisfied afterglow of remembrance for a few minutes, she’d concluded that it was time to get her lazy arse out of bed and go pick up Avery at Ben and Sophie’s. Oh, the cruel pull back to motherhood, after an over all amazing night… She'd grumbled at her own hesitance to leave the warm and comfy bed, but had eventually convinced herself to roll out from under the covers and go to the bathroom.

After she'd emptied her bladder, she’d boldly opened Tom's closet and went through his clothes to see if she could find something to wear. She found a pair of grey sweatpants in the back of the closet, which must have belonged to a former ‘female friend’. They were slightly too narrow, bum-wise, and too long, leg-wise, but they weren’t the giraffe-leg sweats which Tom had tried to give her the night before, and she’d been able to squeeze her hips into the stretchy material. Combining it with her bra and then pulling on an oversized, black v-neck t-shirt, she’d decided that it was as good as it was going to get for the day.

The contact lenses she’d been wearing the night before, had been unsalvageable when she’d picked them up from the edge of the wash basin in the bathroom. Which was where she’d left them when she’d been done taking off her makeup in the middle of the night. There was no way that she was going to be able to put them into her eyes again, without giving herself a nasty case of pink eye. So, she went without, which meant that the world around her was quite hazy at the moment. She cursed herself for not bringing her glasses in her clutch. But how was she to know that, when she left for the party the evening before, she'd end up at Tom's for the night? The man had been in Mallorca, for fucks sake. Or, so she'd thought.

After locking up Tom’s house securely, she squinted while she looked around the garden and tried to find the door to Ben and Sophie’s garden. Walking along one of the hedges, she soon found what she was looking for and unlocked the garden door, went through it, and locked it again behind her. Couldn’t be too careful about someone else’s house, especially when they were as famous and sought after as Tom was.

Within seconds, Ariel had reached the Cumberbatchs' backdoor. It was locked when she tried the handle, so she knocked, using a bit more force than what was appropriate, but she was afraid they wouldn’t hear her if she was too quiet.

From the bowels of the house, a figure appeared. Ariel couldn’t make out who it was at first. Because of her short-sightedness, it looked like a dark, shapeless blob, but, eventually, Sophie came into focus; the glass door not hiding her very surprised expression at finding Ariel in her back garden, instead of on the front steps to her house. It was a surprised expression which changed to a knowing expression as she connected the dots of Ariel’s strange choice of masculine clothing, her disheveled appearance, and her standing in the back garden of her friend’s house, taking into account its proximity, and access, to a certain other person’s garden, and house.

_‘Is he home?’_ Sophie mouthed at her through the glass, as she pointed into the direction of Tom’s house.

‘Not anymore.’ Ariel answered, shaking her head.

When Sophie opened the door for her, the woman’s gaze zeroed in on the teeth shaped bruise that peeked out from under the neckline of Ariel’s t-shirt, and she let out an amused laugh. Ariel noticed her gaze on the sore spot and quickly pulled her shirt over the bruise to cover it up.

‘Oh, shit. Tell me you didn’t!’ Sophie’s eyes were wide as she attempted to hide her grin behind her hands. Ariel just shrugged and looked sheepish. ‘Oh. My. God. You totally did!’ Sophie exclaimed, her voice rising in pitch towards the end of the sentence. ‘How was it?!’ She looked Ariel up and down with raised eyebrows. ‘And _how_ can you still walk?’

Ariel felt a blush creep up her cheeks at the blatant curiosity that her friend was displaying. 

‘Soph. Please…’ She groaned. Wasn’t it enough that she had to do the ‘walk of shame’ through her new friend’s rear garden? Said friend _really_ had to emphasise Ariel’s ‘conquest’, too? 

_Fuck my life._

‘What? I’ve seen his _thing_ while it was _at rest_ , so to speak, and it was _still_ impressive. Taking into account that he is so, um, _him_ , and you are so…’ she gestured with her hand to indicate Ariel’s short stature, ‘…tiny, I think it’s a legitimate question. So, again, how are you still _walking?!_ ’ Sophie sounded absolutely unapologetic and very nosy, as she ushered Ariel into the house, locking up the door behind her friend.

Ariel shook her head at her friend's impertinent question and let out an involuntary chuckle, thinking of how to answer her.

‘With difficulty.’ She finally said, grimacing at the squee Sophie let loose within zero point two seconds. In spite of the painkillers she’d taken, and the bottle of water she drank earlier, she was still feeling a bit hungover.

‘I _knew_ it!’ Sophie laughed, holding up her hand to high five Ariel. ‘He totally shagged you into the mattress, didn’t he?’

Ariel halfheartedly slapped her friend’s hand and then followed her to the kitchen, where Sophie put on the kettle.

‘You have _no_ idea…’ Ariel groaned as she gingerly sat down at the table, careful to not aggravate her very sensitive nethers. A flash of heat shot to her core when her clothed vulva made contact with the hard seat of the wooden chair. Shite, her body had been thoroughly fucked -twice- and it still wanted more. 

Oh, who was she kidding. **_She_** wanted - _needed_ \- more. It was like a dam had broken and she couldn't stop the flood of hormones that took over her system.

That morning, she’d thought that she’d had enough to tide her over for a while, after Tom had fucked her up against the shower wall, making her come twice before he let go and spilled himself inside her. The man was literally insatiable, or, that’s what she’d thought then, leaning faintly against the wall as Tom had gently cleaned her after their tryst. He’d proceeded to lather her body up and then rinsed her off, drying her thoroughly before depositing her back in his bed, naked, tucking her in with a languid kiss to her lips and leaving her to drowsily watch how he dressed himself and packed up his suitcase. 

Now, she was sure that whatever increased libido he had, it had awakened hers with a vengeance, and she had only just caught up to match him. And it sucked. Because he wasn’t even in the same country as she was.

‘I think I need to get myself a vibrator… Or a dildo… Or both…’ She mumbled, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

A loud, feminine laugh pulled her from her musings and she went beet red when she realised she’d said those last thoughts out loud. _Oops._

‘Well, we could always go shopping today… We’d cause quite the stir. I can see the headlines already. _British actors fail to satisfy their women_.’ Sophie snickered, handing her a mug with tea. 

‘Urgh, I can’t decide if you’re the worst friend, _ever_ , or the best. And let’s not do that. I’ll just shop online…’ Ariel chuckled, but then suddenly frowned at her over the rim of her mug as she blew on the piping hot liquid. ‘Speaking of being friends… Didn’t I leave one of my children in your care, last night?’ She only now noticed the quiet in the house and realised that she hadn’t seen Avery, or Ben, anywhere. ‘Have you misplaced her?’

Sophie hummed amusedly and sat down, taking care not to bump her baby belly into the edge of the table.

‘Yes, you did. And no, I didn't. And may I say what a well brought up child she is. Smart, too. We had a blast with baking cookies last night. Too bad that Ben ate them all…’

‘Well brought up? Avery? Are you sure?’ Ariel was certain that she would never describe the hurricane that was her daughter as well brought up. She had tried, mind you, to get some semblance of propriety into the child, but she feared that it had been for naught. The girl took too much after her mum.  Ariel looked around before raising her eyebrows at Sophie. ‘So, where is this allegedly well brought up child of mine?’

‘She was very helpful and polite. And also very witty. Maybe a tad manipulative, but that was quite easily nipped in the bud as I am very used to handling a manipulative man-child of my own.’ Sophie winked at her and took a sip from her tea. ‘She and Ben went to the Antrim Grove Playground, about an hour ago. They promised to be back around noon and bring home a couple of sandwiches from Chamomile’s, for lunch. So, I’m expecting them to arrive any minute now.’

Both women were silent for a few minutes as they sipped their tea.

‘So, you want to buy a vibrator? Have you thought about getting a specially shaped dildo? There are companies who make moulds off of people’s penises, you know…’ Sophie suddenly said, sounding mildly interested and politely detached at the same time, as if she was commenting on the weather.

It took a few seconds for her to process her friend’s words, but when she did, Ariel almost sprayed her sip of tea all over the table from her surprise at the casually posed question.

‘What?’ She croaked, as she tried to cough part of the tea out of her lungs. She had to remember to not swallow and breathe at the same time. 

What kind of kitchen table talk was this?

Sophie sent her a mischievous grin.

‘Don’t look at me like I’m the bad guy here. You’re the one who started that conversation.’

Ariel pointed at her.

‘I did _not_ start that conversation. It accidentally slipped out while I was thinking about last night, and you know it! You’re the one who brought it up again! Witch!’

Cackling, Sophie scrunched up her face at Ariel.

‘Oh my god, I have an idea! What if we market them?’

Confused, Ariel looked at her friend. She frowned at her sudden giddiness, knowing that it couldn’t predict anything good.

‘Market what?’ she asked carefully, fearing the answer she would get. 

A big, maniacal grin took over Sophie’s face as she clapped her hands in glee.

‘Their penises! Ben’s! Tom’s! We’d make millions! Wait, did I say millions? We’re going to make billions! They’d get a percentage, of course, it’s their penises, but it’s our idea, so we’d make the big bucks… Can you imagine? All of their fans would want a life-sized replica!’ She sighed happily and rested her face in her hand as she leant over the table, gazing at Ariel like she was expecting her to immediately jump onto the crazy train with her.

The ridiculousness of the idea made Ariel at first stare at her friend like she’d lost her mind, but then she burst into laughter; seeing the hilarity of the proposal.

‘Fucking Hell, that brain of yours is completely out of whack. Is it the pregnancy, or has it always been that way? You’re just made of pure evil, pimping out your husband like that. And then I’m not even mentioning his best friend…’ 

Sticking out her tongue, Sophie shrugged and flashed her a grin.

‘I’d say I’m fifty percent business woman, thirty percent pervert and twenty percent evil. But, whatever makes you sleep at night, I guess. And yes, I’ve always been like this.’ She winked at Ariel and also burst into laughter.

‘Well, we could always use this idea just to get a rise out of our lovers… Pun not intended.’Ariel snickered. ‘We’d just have to choose the most opportune moment to break it to them.’

Sophie, who had calmed down a bit, burst into laughter again. 

‘Can you imagine their reactions? Maybe we should hold on to this idea until April Fools, next year… That would be such an awesome prank!’

The two women simultaneously cackled evilly at the thought, sounding so similar, that it brought on another bout of evil sounding laughter.

‘Oh, shit. We really are a pair of witches.’ Ariel snorted and laid the right side of her head onto the cool kitchen table to cool off the heat in her cheeks.

‘Maybe we should start a coven. I know a few women who would be perfect. Amanda and Louise…’ Ariel sent Sophie a blank look at hearing the names. Sophie explained, ‘You know, Amanda Abbington and Louise Brealey, from Sherlock. They’re hilarious. And they’re the only acquaintances I have left who didn’t drop me when Ben and I got together. I think you’ll like them.’ She fished her phone out of her bra and opened up the messaging app.

While Sophie was typing away, Ariel heard a ping. It seemed to be coming from her own phone. She looked up at Sophie, who shrugged at her.

‘Wasn’t me.’ She said, and went back to her typing.

Okay then. Ariel fished her phone from her sweatpants’ pocket and unlocked it. There was a text from Tom.

 

**_Tom H_ **

 

12:03 Tom - _Good afternoon, my darling Sigyn. I’ve arrived safely at my destination. I’m on set right now and I am about to be beaten up by a couple of goons. How are you?_

12:05 Ariel - _Heyyyy. I’m at Sophie’s. She’s trying to get me to give up the measurements of your cock._

12:06 Tom - _Why would she want that? She’s seen it. She knows the measurements._

 

Ariel guffawed at his answer. Sophie looked up from her phone with raised eyebrows and Ariel showed her the text. Sophie shrugged and sent her a crooked grin.

‘Told ya.’ She said, and went back to her phone.

 

12:08 Ariel - _She confirms. You actors are weird. Showing your naked bits to everyone. Have you no shame? ;P_

12:09 Tom - _Very little. Jealous?_

12:09 Ariel - _Of what? Your bits? Not really. I like my genitals right where they are. Mostly internal. Safely inside my body. Thank you very much._

12:10 Tom - _I wholeheartedly agree with that assessment. And might I add that I’d like my genitals to be safely inside your body, too. ;P_

 

What?

Did he really just say that?

Ariel did a double take, but it really said what she thought it said. The man was incorrigible. She snickered at his impudence.

 

12:11 Ariel - _Ah, I see it now, you have no shame, at all._

12:12 Tom - _Worried?_

12:12 Ariel - _Intrigued._

12:12 Tom - _Wish you were here._

12:12 Ariel - _Wish you were not there._

12:13 Tom - _Can you fly out?_

12:13 Ariel - _What? O.O_

12:14 Tom - _Can yo fly out for the weekend? Next weekend. Fri-Sun? I have Saturday afternoon and night off, and Sunday the whole day. We could relax at the beach. You can bring your kids. They’d love it here, I think._

 

Wow. Ariel stared at her phone. She was sure that she’d misread, but it was right there. He wanted her to come over to Mallorca for the weekend. With her kids. Well, with Avery, because the boys were still on holiday in Ibiza.

 

12:16 Ariel - _Are you sure?_

12:17 Tom - _Very sure. So, what’s the verdict?_

12:18 Ariel - _Okay. I could be persuaded to spend a couple of days on the beach with a handsome man. I’ll bring Avery with me. The boys are vacationing in Ibiza. Just let me see if I can book a flight._

12:20 Tom - _Great! :D I look forward to meeting her. Just let me know what time you’re arriving on Friday. If I’m done for the day, I’ll pick you up myself. Otherwise I’ll send someone to drive you to the house. Oh, and Ibiza is only a ferry ride away from Mallorca. Maybe you could invite your boys to spend the weekend with us?_

12:22 Ariel - _I’ll see what I can do. :)_

12:22 Tom - _Darling, I’m needed for the scene. Time to be beaten up. I’ll talk to you later. Bye. X_

12:23 Ariel - _Okay. Break a leg. Not your own, preferably. Bye. XO_

 

Sighing, she put down her phone.

‘Everything alright?’ Sophie asked, slightly frowning at her pensive expression.

‘I guess. He asked me to come to Mallorca next weekend. And to bring my kids.’

Sophie smiled.

‘That’s good, isn’t it?’ She reached over the table and laid her hand on Ariel’s in a gesture of comfort. ‘He wants to see you, and he isn’t squeamish about meeting your children. I’d count it as a big plus.’

Sophie’s optimism made a small smile appear on Ariel’s face.

‘You’re right. It’s just that… I don’t know…’ She sighed again and came to a decision. ‘You know, you’re right. We’re going to Mallorca. We’re going to have a great time at the beach. And maybe I’ll even get a bit of a tan.’ No time like the present to take control of her life and live a little.

Sophie nodded encouragingly.

‘That’s the spirit! Don’t doubt yourself, or your feelings. You deserve this, Ari. You deserve to be happy.’

Ariel smiled at her friend’s support and stood up to hug her.

‘Thanks for the pep talk, Soph.’

Her friend hugged her back, tightly.

‘You’re welcome, hon. Don’t forget, you have a right to happiness, too. Just like everyone else on this planet.’

Nodding, Ariel closed her eyes, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall when she realised what a loyal and loving friend she’d found in Sophie.

‘I won’t forget.’ She whispered, both in answer to Sophie’s words and as a vow to herself to always remember how this woman had stood by her, with humour and support, during this very confusing time in her life.


	36. Chapter 35

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Packing stuff and pondering life. Ariel tries to put everything that’s happened in perspective.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own my OCs and the storyline. Nothing more.
> 
> I make no money from this story.
> 
> This is my Sandbox.

Chapter 35

 

(Friday 12 June, 2015. 10:43AM)

 

Zipping closed the light blue trolley suitcase which held both her and Avery’s clothes and toiletries for the weekend in Mallorca, Ariel sat down on the bed next to it, and let out a relieved sigh. Everything was packed and ready for their trip. Clothes, bathing suits, bikini’s, toiletries, Avery’s teddy that looked like a mangled cat, ten years in, but had started out as a lioness, sunblock, sunglasses, contacts, and more random stuff that had found its way into the suitcase, being in the ‘just in case’ cathegory. Primarily things for Avery, so she woulnd’t get bored during the weekend. Ariel had had to pull out a larger suitcase when it became clear that a carry-on wouldn’t do the job. Hopefully she wouldn’t have to carry the thing up any stairs. That would completely suck.

In spite of all the crazyness that had ruled her life in the past five days, she and Avery had been able to return to her house the day before without much trouble. The media’s interest in her -or, maybe more accurate, Tom’s- dating life had waned a bit when both she and Tom hadn’t been spotted near each other, or near their own houses for four days.

With Tom being in Mallorca for the filming of The Night Manager, and she deviding her time between staying at Tom’s house and visiting with Sophie; only leaving to go on school and grocery runs and always using the door between the gardens to avoid being seen leaving Tom’s house, they were both ‘missing in action’, so to speak, and the media had mostly moved on to greener pastures.

She’d lived mainly at the back of Tom’s house to avoid detection, only using the kitchen and the back sitting room during the day, and sleeping in his bedroom at night, which was also located at the back. Avery had chosen to use the guestroom next to Tom’s room to sleep in, staying close to her mum in the, to her, unfamiliar house.

After one of Prosper’s employees, a lovely twenty-something woman named Shari, had gone to Ariel’s house on Sunday afternoon, wading her way through a sea of papparazzi, all the while answering ‘no comment’ to the invasive questions, and had gotten Ariel and Avery a couple of changes of clean clothes, toiletries, Avery’s school uniform, and Ariel’s glasses, they had been all set for a short stay at Tom’s.

The same woman had kept Ariel updated on any developments concerning the papparazzi siege on her house, and whether or not the day had arrived on which Ariel and her daughter could return to their home.

Tom had been overly apologetic about the impact his fame was having on her life and her privacy. He had been especially distraught when on Tuesday he’d heard that Avery had been bullied at school by a couple of older girls who were fans of his famous ex, accusing her mum of being a homewrecking slut. This had caused Avery to lash out and deliver a well-aimed right hook to the instigator, leaving the girl with a bloody and very painfully swollen nose. Of course Ariel had been called by the principal, asking her to come in for a meeting on her daughter’s behaviour, as had the parents of the three older girls. It had resulted in an week-long expulsion of the three girls, and two detentions for Avery; which she had served with her head high and and a stiff upper lip.

After privately schooling her daughter about the wrongness of resorting to physical violence when being verbally attacked, Ariel had hugged the crying girl tightly and kissed her forehead, assuring her that she was grateful for Avery defending her, but that in the future she should report any other attempts at bullying to the principal.

The incident had put a damper on the giddy feeling of having a new beau, which she’d been floating on since Saturday night; mercilessly depositing her back on earth with a reverberating blow. Tom’s reaction to the event when she’d spoken to him over Skype -at three o’clock in the morning, British time, after he’d come back from a night shoot-, had been one of powerless anger and frustration, resulting in multiple apologies about everything and anything to do with the media coverage of his private life, to her and her daughter, only minutes later. Seeing that the man was exhausted, both physically and mentally, after a draining eighteen hour shoot, she’d told him that she never blamed him. It wasn’t his fault, and she had known that there would be consequences to going public with their relationship, and she gladly accepted them if that meant that they would be granted the time to figure out if it was possible for them to build a life together.

Avery hadn’t sustained any lasting damage form the altercation, and the girl had understood that what had happened wasn’t anyone’s fault but the bullies’. Eventually, that reassurance had helped significantly in calming Tom down. Ariel had steered the conversation away from any upsetting topics and they’d talked a bit about how their respective days had been, and then she wished him sweet dreams after promising to speak to him again, soon, and telling him that her and Avery’s flight to Palma had been booked and paid for.

She wasn’t operating under the assumption that everything would be smooth sailing from there on out, because she’d very early caught on to the fact that they both were quite stubborn, passionate, and independent people who were used to finding their own way in life. It would take compromises from both sides to make it work, but she wasn’t deterred by this prospect. On the contrary. Because, if Tom was willing to risk damage to his career -something he’d worked on tirelessly and ambitiously for almost twenty years- just to have a chance at a relationship with her, as he had stated to Luke, then how could she not want to give it her all, too? As long as they stayed on the same page about their wants, needs and dreams for the future, and acted as a united front, the relationship had a good chance of working out, no matter how harsh the outside world would judge them. Good communication was key.

Now to just find a way to convey this all to a very tired and overworked Tom, who had been on the edge of a nervous breakdown ever since he found out how some of his fans -and those of Zoe-, on social media, were vicious in their dissecting of Ariel’s character and appearance, and were rudely questioning her morality in regards to her ensnaring Tom Hiddleston with her wiles, so soon after he’d broken up with Zoe Cameron; tearing Ariel down in each and every new tweet or comment they posted. He wasn’t at all affected or concerned by attacks on his own ‘questionable’ behaviour, but when it came to Ariel and her family, he’d been livid about the injustice of it all; resulting in him being on the phone with Prosper PR at every hour of the day -whenever he had a free moment in between filming, sleeping and eating-, planning out strategies on how to reduce the impact of the shitstorm they’d found themselves in, on Ariel’s day to day life.

Ariel let herself fall back on the bed, pushing her glasses up into her hair as she rubbed her hands over her face. She’d be lying if she said she was not in the slightest affected by it all; especially the threats on her life had been disconcerting, but she saw those for the empty threats they were -or, at least, she hoped they were-, and tried to just dismiss the outpouring of cruelty as something that couldn’t be helped. Haters gonna Hate, and all that.

There had been many heart-warming reactions from most of Tom’s internet army; and even some of Bob’s fans had left lovely messages after he’d posted a few sweet pics and videos of her and Tom cuddling cosily at the Marvel wrap party, taken when they thought they weren’t being watched -With the okay from her, Tom, and Prosper of course-, in response to the haters.

She was determined to let those good messages outweigh the bad ones, but somehow they were fuel on the fire of the trolls and it had made them come back with more severely slanderous vitriol than ever before. She’d even had to shut down her website, because people had found the comment box for art enquiries she had on there, and had started to spam it with hateful messages. Her social media pages were, for the time being, monitored and maintained by Prosper, and Shari had been interviewing potential bodyguards in case she was going to need one, or two, or more bodyguards -also taking into account her children-, in the near future. It was all completely nuts, and she’d let her opinion on the matter be known, but neither Tom nor Luke were taking any chances with her safety, or with the safety of her family.

Ariel was grateful that they cared, but everything that had happened had left her feeling slightly out of her depth. She was trying to play a quick and improvised catch up with what the two men had been dealing with for almost a decade, which was the darker side of celebrity. It gave her a bit of trouble trying to wrap her head around the fact that now there were people who were out for her -hopefully only virtual- blood, just because of her association with another human being. The surreality of it all flummoxed her, and had led to a few bouts of perplexed laughter in the past few days. Her previous day to day life had been so quiet and normal, that it made the whole media and internet circus feel like something that was very far removed from her person. A sigh escaped her as she thought of the weirdness that had taken over her life in the past few weeks.

Most of the time she felt like someone with a severe case of multiple personality disorder. There was Ariel the artist, mum, and book nerd, and then there was Ariel the notoriously mysterious ‘girlfriend’ of the Internet’s Boyfriend. And she hadn’t even had enough time yet to settle into the idea of being in a budding relationship again. One dinner, a party, a night together, and a few Skype calls and app messages did not a relationship make. She just hoped that she wasn’t making a big mistake with jumping into the deep end of the dating-a-superstar pool. Both Luke and Tom had assured her that it all shouldn’t take more than three to four weeks before everything would go back to normal. Or, as normal as life would be while she was wooing Tom Hiddleston, the actor.

According to Luke, in a month the media would have probably found something more interesting, or scandalous, to focus on than who was dating whom. And, eventually, even the social media trolls would get used to Tom being in a relationship, and find something else to gripe and moan about. It was a recurring cycle that was becoming relatively easy to predict. Or so Luke had said.

Being the novice in that area, she’d just taken his word for it; hoping that everything would quiet down in the coming months and that she and Tom would get their much needed chance to get to know each other better, without the constant pressure of the media trying to look in on their private lives.

She now understood Ben’s need to protect Sophie and their unborn child, and his first instincts to hide them away from the papparazzi and other (social) media outlets, a bit better. Thankfully, neither Avery, nor the boys had been targeted by the paps, or the trolls, yet. But that was something that could change within the next few days. Especially as all three of her children would be joining her and Tom during their weekend in Mallorca. Ariel was well aware of this fact, and it filled her with anxiety to think about how it could affect them in the long run. It was one thing to have the spotlight pointed solely on one’s self, and hypothesize about the possible impact of it being focused on her children while that scenario was still far off, or so she’d thought last week, but it was another entirely when said scenario was suddenly looming big and ominous on your doorstep.

On the other hand, she absolutely refused to live her life in fear of the things that could happen, but most probably never would. And that brought her back to the present day. She’d decided that the only compromises she was willing to make, were the ones towards Tom and her children. Never the ones towards the rest of the world.

Which is why she’d packed the suitcase, booked the flight for her and Avery, and invited Arthur and Cian to join them on the island for a short break. The twins would be arriving in the Palma harbour at eleven o’clock on Saturday morning, by ferry. Tom had a very early morning call and shoot, and he’d be off work by the time nine thirty came around, give or take thirty minutes, so they’d have plenty of time to pick up the boys from the ferry terminal.

Groaning, Ariel sat up again, massaging her right shoulder with care. She’d been laying on the bed for too long and it was giving her trouble. Although the bruising had all but dissipated, the ligaments in her shoulder were still healing. She still needed the painkillers, and in the mornings her whole upper back and right shoulder would cramp up once she rolled out of bed and tried to make a start to her day. It took a hot, twenty minute shower and quite a few warming up exercises before the joint could be moved without too much hindrance. Which was usually just around the time that the painkillers kicked in. She was still on two to three halves a day, depending on her body’s pain levels.

The doctors had encouraged her to exercise the shoulder at regular intervals throughout the day, just to keep it from seizing up and to help with revalidation. She was prohibited from carrying heavy things, but other than that she was green lighted to carry out her daily routine of sketching, drawing, and painting. Which meant that she was ahead of schedule for two of her projects, and almost caught up on the other two. She would be able to turn in the commissioned art and illustrations with a maximum delay of about two weeks, instead of the six she’d feared it would take. Happy customers meant returning customers, so she was chuffed that her injury hadn’t as negatively impacted her motor skills as it had seemed at first. She just had to watch that she didn’t overdo it, otherwise she’d pay the price the next day.

Fishing her phone out of the pocket of her black sweatpants, she checked the time and saw that she had pondered and mulled away almost an hour while laying back on her bed next to the zipped up suitcase.

Fuckin’ Hell, she was running late!

‘Shite.’ She murmured, dashing into her en-suite and pulling her hair out of her face. She put it up into a ponytail with a rubber band she found on the edge of the sink. Quickly she checked her face for any smudging of eyeliner or mascara, the only makeup she was wearing at that moment, and concluded that she was presentable. Hastily walking back into her bedroom, she grabbed her shoulderbag and made her way down the stairs in a hurry.

Slipping into an old pair of sneakers, Ariel pulled on an army green cotton jacket over her dark green t-shirt, and hung her bag over her shoulder. After closing the front door behind her and locking it, she hopped down the front steps of her house and walked in the direction of the Underground.

Time to pick up Avery from school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you liked the story so far, and if you want, leave a comment and feed(back) the Muse. :)
> 
> Kudos are also very much appreciated.
> 
> Thank you! :D


	37. Chapter 36

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Safe travels, Ariel! :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing but my storyline and the OCs.
> 
> I make no money with the creation of this story.
> 
> This is my Sandbox.

Chapter 36

 

The school run went okay, with minimal side-eye from the other mothers, nannies, or fathers. By the time they were back home, Ariel helped Avery to pack a few things, with which she could play during their flight, into the girl’s small backpack. Then she laid out a pair of pink leggings and an oversized powderblue t-shirt with rainbow print for Avery to change into, hanging the discarded school uniform back inside the closet.

They’d be flying at eight, and making sure the girl would be comfortable enough to maybe sleep a bit during the two-and-a-half hour flight was high on Ariel’s list of priorities. The weekend would be tiring enough for her little girl, with all the things Ariel knew Tom had planned for them to do. Ariel had convinced him to scale it down a bit, as his first itinerary had included visits to several museums and archaeological sites along with going to the beach and attending a guided walking tour through Palma’s old town. She had assured him that a visit to the beach and the walking tour would make their stay interesting enough during the short time they would be spending with him. Add to that the large swimming pool that was part of Tom’s villa rental, and one had enough to keep three teenagers occupied for the rest of the time. Which meant more quality time for the two of them.

The weekend was too short to fit in everything he’d planned for them, and she’d told him that she would like to just spend most of her time with him and her children, without having to worry too much about seeing all the sights. He’d capitulated quite quickly after hearing her arguments against doing too much, and she suspected that he was secretly relieved to have a quiet weekend with her and the kids. He had sounded bone tired when she’d spoken to him the night before, and relaxing for a few days would do him a world of good.

Ariel was just trying to wheel the heavy suitcase down the stairs, one step at a time, when someone rang the bell.

‘I’ll get it!’ Avery called out from the kitchen, and Ariel could see her run towards the front door as a flash of pink and blue, topped by a swishing black ponytail, shot past the stairs.

‘No running on the slippery wooden floors!’ Ariel yelled after her. Her answer was a mischievous giggle. Sighing, she continued to roll the trolley down the stairs in front of her; keeping a deathgrip on the extended handle with her left hand, and holding on to the bannister with her right. Hoping to the high heavens that she wouldn’t end up in a pile of broken bones at the bottom of the stairs.

‘Excuse me, ms Dekker.’ Came a sudden low voice from downstairs. A head with dark brown hair, followed by broad shoulders came into her line of sight.

Ariel let out a startled shout and in reaction hurled her trolley down the stairs, straight into the arms of the stranger who stood in her hallway. To her surpise, and maybe disappointment, he just caught the heavy thing and then deposited it gingerly onto the floor.

‘Who are you and what are you doing in my home!?’ She ran down the last few steps and advanced on the man, who had taken a few steps backwards, raising his hands in front of his shoulders in a placating gesture. ‘Where’s my daughter?!’

From the direction of the front door, Avery appeared, grinning at her mother.

‘Hey, mum. This is Mark. He is from British Airways and he’s here to take us to the airport.’

Blinking at her daughter, Ariel frowned.

‘What?’

The man, Mark, stepped forward, giving her an apologetic smile.

‘Hello, ms Dekker. As your daughter said, my name is Mark Hughes, and I was sent to pick you up and drive you to the airport. I’m sorry if I startled you.’

Ariel turned to the man.

‘Why?’ Her eyebrows almost disappeared in her hairline as she expressed her surprise. ‘I haven’t ordered a chauffeured car.’ Then she frowned and wrinkled her nose as she took in his immaculate suit. ‘You’re not some sleezy papparazzo, are you?’

Mark shook his head and chuckled politely at her barb.

‘No. No, I am not... Mr Hiddleston ordered the car for you, ms Dekker. He’s one of our top tier clients, and he called in yesterday afternoon to make sure that you and miss Hendriks would be taken care of. I’m here to make your trip to the airport and your check-in as comfortable as possible. After security a hostess will accompany you to the Concord Room, where you will have the option to have a light supper and some drinks before your flight. Just before boarding starts, the hostess will accompany you to the airplane and make sure that you’re comfortably seated and that your carry-on luggage is stowed away safely.’

‘Hm... Can I see your identification? I hope you understand that I don’t just go with anyone whom I don’t know. Especially not with everything that is going on in our lives right now.’ Ariel crossed her arms in front of her chest.

Mark nodded and reached into the inner pocket of his navy suit. He pulled out a leather ID wallet that was embossed with the British Airways logo. Flipping it open, he handed it to her.

‘Of course. It’s no problem.’ He acquiesced. Then he gestured to the suitcase. ‘Is that all your luggage, or is there more?’

As she studied the very official looking ID, Ariel shrugged.

‘No, that’s it. Other than the trolley I have my handbag and Avery has her backpack, but those are carry-on.’ She handed him back the wallet and took out her phone.

‘While you check with mr Hiddleston, is it okay if I take the suitcase out to the car?’ Mark asked.

Narrowing her eyes at him, Ariel wondered how he knew what she was about to do. The man kept his face neutral, though, and she was none the wiser. Was that an amused sparkle she saw in his eyes? Shaking it off, she nodded.

‘Sure, go ahead.’

 

 

16:45 Ariel - _Why do I suddenly have a British Airways Minion?! O.O_

 

16:46 Tom - _Ah, so Mark has arrived, then? :D_

 

16:46 Ariel - _Um, yes, but... Why? O.o_

 

16:47 Tom - _I wanted to do something nice for you and Avery. XO_

 

 _Asshole_. Took the wind right out of her sails with that one. Grumbling, she quickly typed a reply.

 

16:47 Ariel - _Sneaky bastard <3_

 

16:47 Tom - _Hahaha, enjoy, Love. Have to go back to filming now. Have a good flight! :)_

 

16:48 Ariel - _Thx! See ya in a couple of hours!_

 

 

‘Did it all check out?’ Avery asked from behind her when Ariel had tucked her phone into her shoulderbag, which was hanging from a coathook in the hallway. The girl had hoisted her small backpack onto her back and looked both excited and nervous; looking forward to their weekend away, but a bit nervous about the flight. Avery didn’t like to fly.

Walking towards her daughter and giving her a hug, Ariel smiled.

‘Yup. We’re all set.’ Looking about her, and ticking all the boxes of her mental checklist, she concluded that everything was ready for their trip. Their things were packed and, apart from the front door, the house was all locked up and secure. Stepping into her sneakers, she lifted her shoulderbag from the hook with her left hand, and grabbed both her and Avery’s summer jackets from their hooks with her right, hanging them over an arm. ‘Okay, let’s go.’

After locking the door behind her, she walked after her daughter, who was already climbing into the backseat of the big, black BMW X5 with very darkly tinted windows, that was parked at the curb. Mark held the door open for the girl, and Avery flashed him a megawatt smile in thanks.

‘Why, thank you, Jarvis.’ She said as she passed him by.

‘My pleasure, miss Stark.’ Mark answered with a slight bow, not missing a beat.

A delighted laugh tinkled from the dim inside of the car and Ariel could see that Mark was suppressing a smile.

She chuckled at Avery’s antics, and followed her daughter into the luxurious interiour of the SUV.

‘Thanks.’ She said to the man holding the door for her. He nodded at her with a smile and closed the door when she was seated, had fastened her seatbelt, and had checked if Avery had fastened hers, too.

As Mark slid behind the wheel, he looked at them through the rear-view mirror.

‘It’s quite busy on the road right now, and it will take us just over an hour to reach the airport. So, just sit back and relax. If you want something to drink, or a snack, there is a minibar behind the middle seat. Just pull down the back, like an armrest, and you’ll have a small table to rest your drinks on.’

Immediately, Avery enthusiastically pulled down the back of the seat, which was narrower than the other two seats. Behind it was a tiny minibar that held two bottles of water, two juice boxes with apple juice, a narrow box with four expensive looking praline chocolates, and two packets of salted peanuts.

‘ _Wow_.’ Sighed Avery reverently. ‘That’s so cool. Isn’t it cool, mum?’

Ariel smiled at her daughter’s awe.

‘It’s impressive.’ She chuckled as she booped her daughter on the nose.

She rested her head back against the seat and closed her eyes, after giving Avery permission to open one of the juice boxes and pick out one chocolate. She felt how the car started moving and sighed in contentment. Then she sat up and opened her eyes again; realising that it was better to not sleep too much during their travels, otherwise she’d be awake all night.

The car slowly wound its way through the rush hour London traffic as Ariel gazed out of the tinted window next to her and half listened to the conversation between Avery and Mark. The girl had so many questions for the man, ranging from the airport, to airplanes, to chauffeuring, to London, to dancing, and back to the airport again. Their chauffeur answered her daughter’s inquiries patiently and humorously. Which had the girl in stitches a couple of times.

All in all, the trip to the airport flew by as both she and Avery nibbled on the chocolates and then on the peanuts. Avery drinking another juice box and Ariel half finishing one of the water bottles. At the end of the ride, they knew that Mark was married to his high school sweetheart and that they had four children. All girls. And all below the age of five. Poor parents. Ariel chuckled as she thought back to the time that she had two very inquisitive toddlers to follow around. She couldn’t imagine what it was like to have four.

Before she knew it, they had parked in a British Airways designated spot, next to Heathrow’s Terminal 5, and Mark was guiding them though the terminal to First check-in -which she protested against, because she had booked business class. Her flight didn’t even have a First class option, but that was waved away as if it was nothing-. They had been checked in by a friendly steward, while Mark took care to place the suitcase on the conveyor belt. Then they were saying goodbye to Mark at security. With a last greeting and a wave, he was off, disappearing in the crowd.

They breezed through security and then they were being accompanied to the Concord Room, the lounge for First passengers, by a lovely woman whose name Ariel didn’t catch. The woman left them in a private booth next to a panorama view window, with the assurance that someone would be by shortly to take their order for dinner, and that she, herself, would be back to fetch them when it was time to board the airplane.

Within seconds, Avery was on her knees in her seat, her face almost pressed against the window as she observed the planes landing and taking off with an expression of awe on her face.

Ariel took the opportunity to snap a pic of her excited daughter with her phone. It turned out better than she’d expected and decided to save it to her cloud.

Opening her messaging app, she saw that she had missed a couple of messages from Sophie.

 

18:00 Sophie - _B-day has arrived! I repeat, B-day has arrived_.

 

 _B-day?_ Ariel frowned in confusion. _Birthday?_ Sophie didn’t have her birthday until next March.

 

18:02 Sophie - _Hello?_

 

18:03 Sophie - _Yoohoo?_

 

18:05 Sophie - _Fuckin’ Hell, I’m not going to have this baby all by myself. I need support! How can you leave for a bootycall at a time like this?!_

 

 _Ah_. Sophie was having her baby. Ariel groaned. How the _fuck_ did babies always know when it was the most inopportune moment to arrive? Facepalming, she scrolled through the rest of the messages.

 

18:06 Sophie - _Please convey to Tom that he’s a selfish A-hole for confiscating you during my labour. I found you first, so you belong solely to me! Ursurping bastard! Luring you to him with promises of sea, sun, beach, and those sweet umbrella drinks!_

 

18:10 Sophie - _Fucking fucking fuck! This hurts like a sonovabitch!_

 

Quickly she started to type a reply.

 

18:12 Ariel - _You need me to come home?_

 

She would if Sophie really needed her. She’d just delay her visit to Tom for a week or so.

 

18:15 Sophie - _No, sorry about that. Everything is under control. This is Ben by the way. Sophie is breathing through a contraction at the moment. She was teasing you with all the previous texts. We’re about to go to hospital. It’s all progressing according to plan. Maybe even a bit faster than anticipated. By the time you’d be back in London, the baby could already be here, so just go have fun with Tom. We’ll be alright. We’ll be expecting you after the weekend, though. You will have to come and admire our superior offspring._

 

Ariel snickered at that last remark.

 

18:16 Ariel - _If you’re sure..._

 

18:17 Sophie - _Yes, it will be superior. I’m very sure._

 

18:19 Sophie - _I’m back. Don’t mind Ben, he’s a bit off his rocker ever since these contractions started. You go to Mallorca, and we’ll see you next week. Just keep your fingers crossed for us._

 

18:19 Ariel - _Fingers, toes. Everything is being crossed. Break a leg!... No, I mean it, break it, or an arm, or a finger. It’s just so rewarding, when you’re pushing out a watermelon, to make the-one-who-put-it-there suffer too. >:-D ;P_

 

18:20 Sophie - _Roger. Over and out! :)_

 

 

Snickering at the snarky back and forth between herself and Sophie and Ben, she put her phone away again and picked up the menu to peruse it for something to eat. It was nearing dinner time and she was feeling peckish.

‘Sophie is having her baby sometime this weekend.’ She said to Avery, who was still looking at all the planes.

That got her attention. She pushed away from the window and looked at her mum with big eyes, a smile growing on her face.

‘Really?’

Ariel nodded as she pretended to read the menu, but all the while kept an amused eye on her daughter. ‘Really.’

‘Oh! Can we go see it when we come back? Can we?’ Avery was almost vibrating with excitement as she grabbed her mum’s hand and squeezed it in her enthusiasm.

‘If everything goes well, and if they’re back from the hospital, and Sophie says that it’s okay, then we’ll visit on Monday... Or maybe Tuesday. It depends on how they’re feeling.’

‘Yay!’ Avery seemed to have forgotten her dislike of flying for a minute as she sighed in delight. ‘Do you think they’ll let me hold the baby?’ She asked.

‘I don’t know, hon. Sometimes new mums have trouble sharing their baby with others, so you’ll just have to wait and see, okay?’ Ariel warned her daughter.

Avery had a very thoughtful and serious expression on her face as she nodded.

‘That is alright. I’ll just hold it when it’s older, then.’

 

 

After a lovely supper, Ariel and Avery were picked up by the airline’s hostess, just as she had promised. The woman took them past the lines that were waiting for boarding, and had them seated and ready to fly within minutes. She bade them a friendly farewell and disappeared back into the airport.

When boarding was complete, it didn’t take long before the plane was cleared to push back from its dock and make its way to the runway. Avery was quite tense during the whole process of take-off, but as soon as the plane was at altitude, she relaxed. It didn’t take her more than ten minutes to doze off in her seat.

Looking at her daughter, Ariel concluded that it might not be a bad idea to also close her eyes for a few minutes. Traveling always put a big drain on her energy levels and it wouldn’t do for her to get another episode like she’d had the weekend before. It would definitely put a damper on her holiday if that happened.

She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, and before she knew it, she was asleep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feed(back) the Muse, please. She also likes Kudos. ;)
> 
> Thank you! :D


	38. Chapter 37

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mallorca, Hugh Laurie, Tom Hiddleston, and cheeky demon spawn that moonlights as Ariel’s daughter. ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing owned but my OCs and the storyline.
> 
> I play around with these characters for fun.
> 
> This is my Sandbox. 
> 
> Look mum, I built a 16th century mansion! :P

Chapter 37

 

The loudness and brightness of the arrivals hall at Palma International Airport was overwhelming after the blissful quiet and the low lighting aboard the plane. One of the flight attendants had woken Ariel up when they had been about fifteen minutes from landing. She’d startled awake and had found that most of the other passengers were either sleeping, too, or very quietly conversing with their neighbour. Surprised that she’d been able to sleep so deeply that the flight had passed by in the blink of an eye, Ariel had thanked the woman, and had proceeded to wake up Avery.

The arrivals hall was busy, and people were speaking loudly, almost yelling at each other over short distances, while they were trying to find out which way the exit was, what bus they had to take, or where to find their holiday group leader. The floor was a maze of weekenders and large trolley suitcases; thrown, or set down, haphazardly, in piles and without any thought for other travelers.

With an arm firmly wrapped around the slender shoulders of her daughter, Ariel steered the still half sleeping girl through the throngs of simultaneously merry and harried holiday makers, pulling her trolley along behind her. They had just come from the luggage hall where they’d picked up their suitcase, and Ariel was trying to discern Tom’s face between all the other faces in the crowd. He’d promised to meet them at the airport and drive them to his rental house himself, when she’d spoken to him the night before. Now, she was not so sure if that had been a good idea with all the chaos going on in the huge arrivals hall. It was like a crazy busy beehive, and with almost everyone there being taller than she was, Ariel had trouble seeing further than the backs of the people who were walking in front of her. Turning her head this way and that, she occasionally raised up on her toes to give herself a bit more height. Still, it was no use, there were too many people buzzing around to get a clear view in any direction. There was no way that she and Tom would be able to find each other in this mess.

In spite of the airconditioning, it was still oppressively warm in the airport, and Ariel was starting to regret donning her jacket after leaving the plane. Small beads of sweat were running down her spine and beading between her breasts. The smells that surrounded her were starting to make her a bit queasy; perfume scents coming from the duty-free shops mixed with the smell of food that was becoming stale now that the restaurants were closing up for the night. Add to that the different stages of body odour wafting from the people around her, and one had quite the nasty fragrance. She wrinkled her nose and fought a gag-reflex. It might be a good idea to get some fresh air.

Maybe if she and Avery went to the exit and found some kind of a distinctive sculpture or a large advertisement that stood out from the rest of the airport. Then she’d be able to send Tom a text on where to find them. It would be easier that way, and she’d be able to breathe in some much needed non-arrivals-hall air in the process.

‘Excuse me? Miss? Are you Ariel Dekker?’ A man’s quiet voice suddenly asked from behind her.

_What the...?_

Ariel swallowed, a nervous tremour traveling down her spine as she feared another siege by paps, and slowly turned around. To come face to chest with a tall, slim man. Looking up, she noticed he had a flatcap on his head, and sunglasses on his nose. He looked familiar. That chin, the narrow face.

‘ _Holy Fuck..._ ’ She breathed before she could catch herself. The right corner of the man’s mouth pulled up in a display of amusement.

‘Hey, doctor House.’ Avery greeted him with a yawn, and the man returned it with a nod and a quick flash of a smile; then Avery turned to her mother. ‘Mummy, I’m tired.’

Ariel reacted to her daughter’s complaint by distractedly patting her on the head, still staring up at the man in front of her, with wide eyes.

‘Hey.’ Avery protested halfheartedly, ducking out from under her mother’s arm.

The man stuck his hands into the pockets of his blue shorts and bent forward slightly, looking at her over the top of his sunglasses, narrowing his eyes as he studied her.

‘Well? Are you?’ He asked politely.

‘A... Am I what?’ Ariel stammered, completely starstruck.

‘Are. you. ms Ariel Dekker?’ He repeated slowly, eyes twinkling as he took off his sunglasses and put them in the breast pocket of his light blue linen shirt.

Ariel startled out of her stupor.

‘Oh, um... Yes, I am.’

The man stuck out his hand for her to shake. She stared at it for a second before her brain caught up and she realised that she should take it. So she did.

‘Hello, I’m Hugh Laurie, but I have the feeling that you know that already.’ He winked at her; amusement on her expense clearly visible on his face. ‘It’s nice to meet you ms Dekker.’

‘Hi. It’s nice to meet you, too, mr Laurie. Um... Please call me Ariel.’ She gestured to Avery. ‘This is Avery, my daughter.’

‘And you must call me Hugh, then.’ Hugh said. Then he let go of her hand and turned to her daughter. ‘Hello, Avery.’

Avery gave him a small wave and a smile.

‘Hello... Where is Loki? Mum said he would be here to pick us up. But instead we get you.’ She frowned and her voice sounded disappointed. ‘Not that you’re not cool, too, of course.’ The girl added as an afterthought, clearly trying to console him.

Hugh barked out a laugh at her daughter’s bluntness. Ariel blushed in vicarious shame.

‘ _Avery_!’ She admonished the girl.

‘What?’ Avery raised her eyebrows at her mother and shrugged. ‘It’s true, isn’t it? Loki should be here, but he isn’t. Instead we get House.’ She gestured at Hugh, who was stil chuckling.

‘I can see how _that_ would be a disappointment.’ He deadpanned.

‘See.’ Avery said to Ariel. ‘ _He_ gets it.’ She smiled sweetly, dimples appearing in her cheeks, giving the demon spawn a deceptively angelic radiance.

Shaking her head at her daughter’s cheeky behaviour, Ariel turned to Hugh.

‘I am _so_ sorry...’ She started, but she was interrupted by him.

‘I was instructed to look out for a tiny brunette with a feisty attitude and a no nonsense demeanor. Going by that description, it looks like I succeeded to find two of you. Tom never mentioned that your daughter was a mini-you.’ Hugh flashed her a mischievous grin. ‘Don’t worry, I like it when people say what they think. I wasn’t offended.’ He reassured her.

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, Ariel nodded at him, deciding to take his word for it.

‘Alright then. So... Why are you here, and where is Tom? Not that this isn’t a nice surprise, but you’re not the one I’d like to snog senseless.’ If he liked bluntness in people, why not indulge him a bit, right? She raised an inquiring eyebrow at him. Next to her, Avery let out a giggle at that last piece of information.

An appreciative grin appearing on his face, Hugh chuckled.

‘Atta girl.’ He said teasingly, then he sobered. ‘Tom was held up on set. Quite a few scenes had to be re-shot because of one of the cameras shot everything in night mode. Everyone turned out green. It was quite funny, but it meant that certain scenes were useless. Could take a couple of hours before they’re done. When he heard what had happened, Tom became quite agitated. Turned out he was expected elsewhere; the airport, to be exact. So, I volunteered to go in his stead, see the woman who brought out such a positive change in him. Must say that I’m not disappointed. You’re just as great as he told me.’

‘Um... Thanks.’ Ariel felt a bit taken aback by the praise. ‘But you know nothing about me.’

‘Hm, true, but the fact that you raised such a lovely and boldly outspoken daughter whose confidence in herself radiates from her like a bright light,’ He gestured at a grinning Avery. ‘tells me everything I need to know about you. You’re a breath of fresh air after that _other one_.’

With ‘ _other one_ ’ Ariel suspected that he meant Zoe. She was so not going down that rabbit hole right then, and completely ignored that he’d mentioned Tom’s ex.

‘Talking about fresh air... Shall we go? I’ve had enough of airports for the day.’ She said, taking Avery by the hand.

Hugh nodded and gestured for her to follow him.

‘I’m double parked, so we might have to hurry, before they tow the car. It’s very busy with touringcars and taxis out there, so watch your step when you step out into the street.’

Leading them to an automatic glass door to their left, he let them go in front of him as they walked into the subtropical night. The air outside was not as oppressive as it had been inside, but it was still warm. And riddled with exhaust fumes from the cars and buses that queued in front of the airport, waiting for their passengers.

Following Hugh to a large, black Jaguar, which was parked next to a taxi, Ariel tried to hold her breath, or, at least, breathe as shallowly as possible to keep the influx of exhaust fumes into her lungs to a minimum. Avery was coughing next to her, also reacting to the soot that permeated the air. Engines were revving, cars were honking and people were yelling at each other through their open car windows. It was a cacophony of sounds and chaos. Ariel hoped that Hugh would be able to steer the expensive looking car out of the mayhem without damaging it.

The actor unlocked the car and held the backdoor open for Avery, who gratefully took the opportunity to jump into the car and out of the terribly polluted air. Ariel didn’t blame her. She opened the passenger side door and slid into her seat, closing the door immediately, relieved that the car was so well insulated that the outside noise was almost cancelled out.

Letting out a sigh of relief, she turned halfway around to look at her daughter.

‘Have you put on your seatbelt?’

‘Hmhmm.’ Avery hummed, and leaned back against the black leather of her seat; looking for all the world like she’d fall asleep within seconds. ‘’m tired.’ She sighed, closing her eyes, and yawning.

Hugh opened the driver’s side door and settled himself behind the steering wheel. Within seconds they were off, the car’s engine purring softly as he skillfully manouevred them through the queue of vehicles and out onto the road.

‘It should take us about twenty minutes to reach the hotel.’ He told her. ‘Tom has arranged a couple of rooms for you to stay in for the night, because he didn’t want you to have to wait on him to be finished filming and then having to drive an hour to his house. This way, your daughter will be able to go to bed as soon as you arrive, and Tom won’t have to drive you all the way up north and then drive back down an hour later, because he has to be back on set by five in the morning. Just like me. I’m also sleeping at the hotel tonight, so, if you’re interested, and if you’re not too tired, I could take you to the set to see Tom work, after you’ve put your girl to bed... If you want.’ He added quickly.

‘Oh, um, I’d love to. But... shouldn’t you be asleep by then? By the time we’ll be at the hotel, it’ll be nearing midnight.’ Ariel frowned, looking at the digital clock on the dashboard. She didn’t want to be responsible for an exhausted Hugh Laurie fucking up his lines on set in the morning.

The man waved away her objections with a scoff.

‘We, actors, are used to working unusual hours and sleeping when we can. I had a four hour nap this afternoon when I wasn’t needed on set. It’s alright, I’ll be fine.’

‘Alright. If you’re sure...’ Ariel trailed off as she thought of something. ‘How big is the hotel? I wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving Avery alone in the hotelroom if the set was too far away.’

‘It’s not that big, but they have a sitting service, if you’re okay with that. They have two or three nannies on site. Or so I’ve heard. This late at night there should be one available for an hour or two.’

‘Oh, okay. I think I’ll try that then.’ Nodding to herself, she leaned back into the seat, falling quiet. 

Her eyes were just falling closed when Hugh pulled up to a gated residence. The walls were from roughly hewn stone, in the same style as the building they parked in front. The hotel looked like it came straight out of the middle ages. It looked like some sort of large, fortified mansion.

‘ _Wow_.’ She breathed. The lights that shone up the walls gave the whole thing a dreamy, castle like feel.

The car was approached by two distinguishedly suited men. One of them opened the door for her, and the other opened the trunk of the car and took out their trolley. Ariel took the hand of the man who had opened the door for her; allowing him to help her out of the car.

‘Good evening ms Dekker. Welcome to the Hospes Maricel Hotel. I hope your journey here went well?’ The man asked her with a polite smile and a light Spanish accent.

‘Very well, thank you.’ She answered with a small, shy smile. Not being used to such a formally friendly treatment by hotel staff, it made her feel slightly unsure. What was expected of her?

She let go of the man’s hand as soon as she had exited the car and nodded politely at him as she walked to the other side and opened the back door on the driver’s side. Avery had slumped over against the door, and was hanging in her seatbelt now that the door had opened, all but dead to the world. She was sleeping so deeply that she didn’t even wake up when Hugh, after Ariel’s permission, undid her seatbelt and lifted her out of her seat, adjusting his hold on her so he could carry her on his arm like a toddler, her head resting on his shoulder, and his other arm holding her in place against his chest.

Apparently they had already been checked in, and after asking for a nanny to watch Avery for an hour or so, they made their way upstairs in a lift. In spite of the mansion being 16th century, as the porter who was carrying her trolley quietly explained, no expenses were spared on any of the modern fixtures or amenities that had been dreamt up by the designers. The interior of the hotel was the perfect balance between historic and modern.

The room that had been booked for them turned out to be a two bedroom suite on the top floor. Ariel stopped walking as soon as she took in the luxuriously furnished chambers.

‘Are you _sure_ this is for us?’ She asked Hugh, looking around with large, confused eyes.

Hugh nodded as he followed the porter to the smaller bedroom, gingerly depositing his precious luggage on the bed.

‘Yes, Tom booked this for the three of you this afternoon, when it became clear that he wouldn’t be able to leave tonight.’

Stepping into her daughter’s bedroom, she thanked Hugh for carrying her all the way, and both men left her to tuck Avery into bed. Quickly she undid the girl’s sneakers, took them off, and pulled off her socks. Deciding that this was as good as it was going to get for the night, she carefully covered the sleeping girl with a light blanket and kissed her on the cheek.

‘Good night, my darling.’ She whispered.

‘Nigh’ Mum.’ Avery murmured in her sleep.

Smiling, Ariel turned off the bedside light and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

As she reentered the reception room of the suite, she noticed that the porter had gone and a young woman, nearly a teenager still, had taken his place. The girl stepped forward and introduced herself as the nanny who would be watching over Avery for the next couple of hours.

Ariel thanked her profusely for coming out so late, but the other woman assured her that this was what she was there for, and to enjoy her night.

After that, they said goodbye, and then she followed Hugh back to the lift.

‘So, where are we going?’ She asked curiously.

‘We’re going all the way down to the basement, where nefarious things concerning criminal activities are being filmed.’ Hugh said in a conspirational voice, throwing her a wink before schooling his face into a suspicious expression. ‘Do you think you are ready to see the dark side of your beau?’ His voice sounded ominous.

Bursting into laughter, Ariel leaned against the wall of the elevator.

‘Hon, I’ve already  _seen_ his dark side. I know what it looks like. It’s not pretty. But I survived. So, I think I’ll be fine.’

Raising his eyebrows, Hugh’s expression changed from brooding to what she could only describe as one of the invasive curiosity of an old gossip hag. It made her laugh even harder.

‘Ooooh, I’m intrigued. _Tell_ me.’ He demanded with a wicked flashing of his teeth and a wiggle of his eyebrows.

Ariel shook her head, sending him a triumphant grin; enjoying the fact that she knew she would never tell him.

‘Nope. That’s something between him and me. And no-one else.’

His face fell; disappointment clearly visible. It was clear that he had been chomping at the bit for a piece of juicy gossip. Too bad she wasn’t caving. Still, it was very amusing to see how he deflated.

‘Well, you’re no fun...’ He complained. ‘Come onnnnn...’ Leaning towards her, he put on a sad puppy face.

‘Sorry. Some fun isn’t worth the pain it could cause. You can ask and beg all you want, I won’t budge.’ She said sincerely; now dead serious as she gazed up at him, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Before she knew it, he was standing upright again, pout gone, and a genuine smile gracing his face.

‘Good to know.’ Was all he said.

‘Wait.’ Frowning, she looked at him. ‘Was that a _test_?’

He hummed.

‘You passed with flying colours.’

‘Wow... You’re really something...’ She wasn’t sure if she should be offended or not.

‘That’s what she said.’ He snickered.

Shaking her head at the subpar joke, Ariel opened her mouth to retort, but the lift dinged and the doors slid open; revealing underground catacombs with strategically placed lighting. It was of an almost otherworldy beauty. In the distance, she could hear the sea lapping at the rocks, and there was a light tinge of salty water in the air.

‘ _Saved by the bell._ ’ Hugh jokingly whispered, and he gestured for her to follow him, but to be very quiet; laying a finger against his lips.

They followed the sound of voices until they came to what could only be classified as a filmset.

When they rounded a corner, she could see the camera crew adjusting their gear, and other crew members holding their boom mics above the scene that was playing out between Tom and a smaller man whose face she couldn’t see. From the tension between the men she surmised that it wasn’t a friendly altercation.

Hugh grabbed her gently by the elbow when she made to walk closer to where the scene was being filmed. She looked at him and he shook his head.

‘ _If you want to see him work his magic, stay out of his line of sight, in the shadows._ ’ He whispered very quietly. ‘ _If he doesn’t know you’re here, he’ll be more focused on delivering than on impressing you._ ’

Nodding at him that she understood his reasoning, she let him lead her to a small, three-legged stool in a shadowed bit of the catacombs.

‘ _Well, I’m off to bed._ ’ He whispered. ‘ _Enjoy the show, and have a good night._ ’

‘ _Thank you. Good night._ ’ She smiled at him and watched how he slipped through the shadows and kept out of sight of the crew and Tom. Shaking her head at his amusing antics, she turned back to where Tom had just finished his lines.

The director said ‘ _and cut._ ’, and both men in front of the cameras relaxed their stance. The director asked for a playback of the scene and Tom approached her to view it with her. They seemed to throw a few ideas back and forth on how to make it better, and then Tom went back to his place in front of the cameras, saying something to his opponent. The man let out a laugh and nodded; clearly amused by what Tom had suggested.

Tom sent him a mischievous grin and went back to where he had been standing during the filming of the scene.

‘Places everyone.’ Someone said loudly, and the chaos behind the scenes was gone within a second; everyone back to where they were supposed to be with minimal hassle.

Ariel saw how the smile died on Tom’s face when that cue was given. It was like seeing him slip into being someone else at the flip of a switch. His expression was suddenly tense and shuttered, and his eyes were hard and cold. She was looking at a different person almost. Even his face was changed. All the lines were sharper somehow.

Leaning forward on her stool, but making sure to keep to the deep shadows, Ariel rested her elbows on her knees, while resting her chin in her hands, and folding her fingers over her mouth; almost afraid to breathe and ruin the magic that was being woven by the men in front of the cameras.

Over the next thirty minutes she witnessed how the scene was played out, over and over, and with intentional differences each and every time; both actors showing no sign of being fed up or exhausted. She knew she would be, after doing something this intense and menacing. Although it was only one scene being filmed, Ariel never got bored. It was just captivating to see how well the two men played off of each other.

Then, finally, the director exclaimed, ‘Okay, guys, that’s a wrap!’

Cheers went up around her, and the crew started to pack up their equipment, while Tom walked toward the director with a content smile on his face.

It was then, that she stood, and his eyes looked past the director towards the movement in the shadows. Narrowing his gaze against the lights, he peered right at her.

She took a step forward into the light, and the smile on his face turned into a delighted, full-blown grin.

‘Ari! You’re here!’ His face radiated happiness as he closed the distance between them with a couple of long strides.

‘Hi.’ She said shyly when he stood before her.

‘Hi.’ He answered, a tender smile playing on his lips.

She didn’t know who made the first move, but somehow she was suddenly enveloped in a bear hug; Tom lifting her up against him as if she didn’t weigh anything, and she wrapping her legs around his waist so she had some leverage against his strength; his lips finding and caressing hers in a passionate kiss that she felt all the way down to her toes. Electric pulses ricocheted down her spine and pooled low in her abdomen as a simmering heat when the kiss deepened, his tongue meeting hers in languid strokes. She could feel tremors pass through Tom’s body as he pressed her against him tightly, one hand on her back, and the other gripping her bum.

Suddenly he seemed to remember that they had an audience in the form of the film crew, something that had completely slipped her mind until that moment, and he ended the kiss with numerous soft pecks, bringing them both down gently from the edge of the fire raging inside. Banking it in until later. She could read the promise of continuation in his eyes when she pulled back and looked at him. _Later_.

Someone behind them politely cleared their throat, and Tom gently set her down on her feet. Ariel swayed a little, and he supported her until he was sure she could stand on her own. He chuckled at seeing her passion induced wooziness.

‘ _Oh, shut up._ ’ She whispered at him, her cheeks flushing.

This pulled an amused laugh from him.

‘Sorry, darling.’ He apologised.

‘I’d be placated by that apology, if I didn’t know you don’t mean a word you just said.’ She grumbled.

Letting out an ‘ _Ehehehe_...’ he hugged her to him again.

‘I’ve missed you.’

Ariel sighed at feeling his warmth surrounding her and wrapped her arms around his waist; squeezing him in answer.

‘Missed you more.’

‘Impossible.’ Tom said with conviction.

‘If you’re done with canoodling, would it be too much to ask for an introduction?’ A man’s voice asked, sounding very amused.

Tom straightened, and kept his arm around her shoulders as he turned her towards the owner of the voice.

It was the short man that had been his opponent in the film scene.

She shook his proffered hand as he introduced himself, although she already knew who he was. She’d seen him in lots of films and tv series.

‘Hello, I’m Tom Hollander, the evil balance to mr goodie two-shoes over here.’

Laughing at his jest, Ariel introduced herself and they exchanged a few pleasantries before she complimented both men on the fantastic work they’d done that evening. She admitted to observing their work for quite some time, from her dark and quiet corner; telling them that she was impressed with their talent and their work ethic.

Both Toms thanked her humbly, smiling proudly.

Susanne, the director, also approached them, curious as to who Tom’s new friend was. After introductions and the promise to talk the next day had been made to both mr Hollander and ms Bier, Tom and Ariel left the catacombs and took the lift back up to the floor where their suite was located.

The nanny was still awake, and she reported that Avery hadn’t even woken up during the time Ariel had been away.

Tom tipped her before showing her out the door and locking it behind her.

Smiling brightly at him, Ariel threw herself into his arms.

Finally they were alone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you liked, please tell me, it feeds the muse. :)
> 
> Kudos are always appreciated!
> 
> Cheers!


End file.
